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JONATHAN BRYA:N^ 



1708-1788. 



. . BY . . . 



MRS. J. H. REDDIjS^G, 

WAYCROSS, GEORGIA. 



COPYHIGHTED 1901 

By MRS. .J. H. REBDIXG. 



SAVANNAH GA.: 

THE MORMXG XEW8 PRINT. 

15)01 



THE LIBRARY ©F 

©ONGRESS, 
Two OOMM R&OCIVtD 

FEB. 3 1902 

COPVHIGHT ENTRY 

CLASS ^XXC No. 
COPY B. 






CHAPTER I. 

South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, by iiature 
and events, have been closely linkedtogether, and their 
histories so interwoven, it would be impossible to write 
the biography of one who was born in South Carolina 
in 1708, and'died in Georgia in 1788, whose services, 
first to the British Crown, and later in the cause of 
American Independence embraced fifty years of that 
period, without some description of the scenes in which 
he lived, and the men with whom he was associated. 

The first English colony landed in South Carolina 
near Port Royal in the year 1670. Settlements were 
made by several English gentlemen, Avho purchased 
the land from a company chartered by Charles II in 
1663, under whose corporate authority North Carolina 
had been colonized. The second governor. Sir John 
Yeamans, carried with him, in 1671, fifty families of 
colonists from Barbadoes, and nearly two hundred 
slaves. In this way slavery was introduced into South 
Carolina. This colony was strengthened by others, 
who, filled with the spirit of adventure and thrilled 
with enthusiasm by descriptions of the country, left the 
congested centres of civilization in the old world for 
America, where freedom of conscience and oppor- 
tunity, like stars of hope, beckoned them onward. Not 



only the oppressed and the sons of toil, but the chil- 
dren of luxury were fascinated with such descriptions 
as Waller's account of an island in this region : 

''The lofty cedar which to Heav'n aspires, 
The prince of trees is fuel for their fires, 
The sweet Palmettoes a new Bacchus yield, 
With leaves as ample as the broadest shield. 
Under the shadow of whose friendly boughs 
They sit carousing, where their liquor grows. 
Figs there unplanted througli the fields do grow ; 
Such as fierce Cato did the Romans show : 
With the rare fruit inviting them to spoil 
Carthage, the mistress of so rich a soil. 
With candid Plantines and the juicy Pine, 
On choicest Melons and sweet Grapes they dine. 
And with Potatoes fat their lusty swine. 
The kind spring, which but salutes us here, 
Inhabits there, and courts them all the year. 
Ripe fruits and blossoms on the same trees live, 
At once they promise, what at once they give. 
So sweet the air. so moderate the clime, 
None sickly lives, or dies before his time, 
Heav'n sure has kept this spot of earth uncurst. 
To show how all things were created first." 

From the vast phosphate beds of South Carolina 
to those of Florida, with the higher elevation of Geor- 
gia lying between, a country great enough in extent to 



sustain an empire, and with soil and climate unsur- 
passed, it is not strange that Spain struggled to call 
this fair land her own from the gold regions of North 
Georgia to the sea ; nor that, when the colonist reached 
this country, now divided into three states, with its 
long coast line washed by the Atlantic and Gulf, gi- 
gantic forests filled withgame, and rivers great, abound- 
ing in life, the imagination could go no further, and 
some were ready to declare: ''Here is the life-giving 
fountain, the beautiful fountain of youth." 

But to the philosopher, the , humanitarian, the 
practical side appeared, and Oglethorpe wrote back to 
England : "The Colony of Georgia, lying in about the 
same latitude with part of China, Persia, Palestine and 
the Madeiras, it is highly probable, that when hereafter 
it shall be well peopled and rightl}^ cultivated, Eng- 
land may be supplied from thence Avith raw silk, wine, 
oil, dyes, drugs and many other materials for manu- 
facture, which she is obliged to purchase from South- 
ern countries." 

Antedating the advent of the Indians, the phos- 
phate beds reveal the fact that a dense population once 
lived here, contemporaneously with all prehistoric an- 
imals, and all that now inhabit the earth, and that by 
some might}^ cataclysm these vast sepulchers were 
made. 

This was a land a beneficent Father had prepared 
for the tramp of the coming hosts of another race, this 



the country we know not why, the noblest tribes of 
the Red Race were destined to yield up, not w^ithout 
a struggle, within a little more than a century. 

It has been said: "There is nothing great in the 
world but man, and nothing great in man, but his 
soul." If then the pure great souls of those who have 
walked the earth stand hke sentinels along the corri- 
dors of time, pointing humanity to higher hopes, and 
linking us not only to the past, but to reunion here- 
after with the innumerable company Avho have gone 
before ; if, among s&ch as these, we can claim the found- 
ers of our republic, may we not justly rejoice in their 
memories, and leave lor our children the glorious her- 
itage of their sufferings and their achievements? 



CHAPTER 11. 

•In 1680 another small colony of English gentle- 
men joined the one that arrived at Port Royal in 1670. 
Among them was Joseph Bryan, of Hereford county, 
England. But little is known of his life and charac- 
ter, except that his kindness and hospitality won for 
him and his family the undying friendship of the Yem- 
assee Indians. He married Janet Cochran and they 
settled in the vicinity of old Pocotaligo. He burnt the 
bridges behind them, and America henceforth became 
the home of their descendents. We have the record 



of four children born to them ; his oldest son, Joseph, 
probably in 1697; Hugh, in 1699; Hannah, in 1706, 
and Jonathan Bryan, in 1708 ; three weeks later Mrs. 
Bryan died, leaving the infant son. Joseph Bryan, the 
first, owned a plantation called Providence, in Prince 
William's parish, between Pocotaligo and Prince 
William's Church — the spot is near the line of the 
Savannah and Charleston railroad, in the vicinity of 
Yemassee. Calmstead, lying on the right bank of the 
Pocotaligo, belonged to his son Hugh; and Walnut 
Hill, lying between Providence and Calmstead, was 
settled by Jonathan in 1734. The oldest son, Joseph, 
gave aid and personal effort to the infant colony of 
(ieorgia. 

Hugh held many positions of honor and trust, and 
early in the life of th.e colony became identified with 
its interests. An old map gives this record : "South 
Carolina and a part of Georgia, containing the whole 
sea coast, all the islands, inlets, rivers, creeks, parishes, 
and townships, burroughs, roads, bridges, as also sev- 
eral plantations with their proper boundaries and the 
names of their proprietors, compiled from surveys taken 
by the Hon. William Bull, Esq., Lieut. Gov. Gascoigne, 
Hugh Bryan, Esq., and William deBraham, Esq., Sur- 
veyor General of the Southern District of North Amer- 
ica. Republished with considerable additions made 
from the surveys made and collected by John Stuart, 
Esq., His Majesty's Superintendent of Indian Affairs; 



by William Faden, successor to the late T. Jeffrys, 
Geographer to the King, Charing Cross, 1780." 

Twelve years before George I had ceased to reign, 
and when Louis XIV was about to die, peace had been 
settled between England and France, and the colonies 
of these two countries would have been left undis- 
turbed to pursue their own development, but the Span- 
iards, then in occupation of Florida, claiming that their 
territory covered the subsequent province of Georgia, 
extending even to Virginia, were permanent enemies 
on the Southern frontier of South Carolina. They 
made allies of unfriendly Indians, and gave refuge to 
runaway slaves. The whole Indian world from Mobile 
to Cape Fear was in commotion. The Yemassees of 
South Carolina, the most warlike of all the Southern 
tribes, renewed friendly relations with the Spaniards at 
St. Augustine, won alliances with many other tribes, 
and on the morning of Good Friday, April 15, 1715 
indiscriminate massacre of the English began, hiding 
by day in the swamps, and by night attacking settle- 
ments. All who could fled to Charlestown (afterwards 
called Charleston), which was also in peril, and the 
colony seemed near its ruin. At last the deliberate 
courage of civilized man prevailed, and the savages 
fled. The colonists checked them on the north, and 
they vanished into the forest. On the south, Charles 
Craven, Governor of the province, pursued them ; the 
Yemassees retired into Florida and were warmly wel- 



corned to St. Augustine by the Spaniards, with peals 
from bells and a salute of guns. Gov. Craven, on his 
return to Charlestown, was greeted with gratitude and 
applause. The locality where this bloody conflict be- 
gan is identical with the seat of the Bryan family, who 
escaped massacre solely because of the kindness shown 
the Indians by Joseph Bryan. Hugh Bryan was in 
his seventeenth year, and was carried a captive to Flor- 
ida. The Indians solicited his death whenever they 
heard of the success of the Carolinians, but the King 
interposed in his behalf and would not hurt him, be- 
cause of regard for his father. While in Florida, where 
he was held in captivity a year, he found a Bible and 
a copy of Bishop Beveridge's Private Thoughts, both 
the Indians had taken from some white family they 
had killed. These were his constant companions, and, 
surrounded by savages, he found a refuge in God. 
Later in life he became an ardent follower and close 
companion of Whitefield. 

The third child of Joseph Bryan, Hannah, mar- 
ried William Edwards Cochran. In 1732 Joseph 
Bryan, Sr., died. But little is known of his life, and 
he was not prominent in any of the public events of 
the day, but his influence over the character of his 
children, and the reverence in which he was held by 
the Indians, leaves his memory fragrant. 



10 



CHAPTER III. 

A painful sense of insecurity took possession of 
the English colony in South Carolina. They lost four 
hundred inhabitants in the struggle with the Yemassees, 
protracted wars and incursions of pirates reduced their 
numbers and resources, and they decided if an appeal 
to the Lord Proprietors tailed, to apply to the Crown 
for assistance. The ansAver to this appeal was unsatis- 
factory, so their agents, through the House of Com- 
mons, besought the King for speedy relief. The King 
had the difficulties investigated, as North Carolina had 
also long been agitated by like troubles. The Claren- 
don charter, extending from lat. 30 to 36 degrees, 
granted by Charles II of England, was declared for- 
feited by Parliament 1729. The Lord Proprietors, ex- 
cept Lord Cateret, gave up the contest and sold their 
interest to the King, in sterling money equivalent to 
45,000 Spanish mill dollars ; each colony received the 
same amount. What is now Georgia had been em- 
braced in this charter. Thus ended the unwise experi- 
ment of attempting to legislate for people, whose wants 
were unknown, who cared not for titles nor pageantry, 
and the constitution prepared for the Lord Proprietors 
by John Locke, the great English philosopher, called 
the Grand Model, proved a complete failure. After 
this the government of North and South Carolina de- 
volved on the Crown, subject to the limitations, fran- 



11 

chises and privileges secured to the settlers by charter, 
although they relinquished all claim to the soil. 

It is prolDable that about this time Jonathan Bryan 
went to England and received a university education, 
as twenty-five years later he received an appointment, 
only given to those who had acquired in these halls of 
learning a knowledge of English law. (Jones' History 
of Georgia, Vol. I, page 465.) 

It was at tills period that James Edward Ogle- 
thorpe, the peerless hero of that day, soldier, statesman, 
philanthropist and a member of parliament, became so 
interested in the poor of England, whose unjust laws 
crushed and rendered them powerless to better them- 
selves, also the condition of the distressed and perse- 
cuted Salzburgers, that he determined to seek homes 
for them in America. In 1729 a persecution was be- 
gun under Leopold, Duke of Austria, that continued 
Avith violence until 1732 against the Salzburgers, so 
called from Salzburg, the broad valley of the Salza, 
which lies between the Norric and Rhetian Alps. They 
were Protestants (Lutherans), and experienced every 
species of outrage fanaticism could invent. Their 
property was confiscated ; they were whipped, impris- 
oned, murdered, banished, children torn from parents, 
husbands from wives, and over thirty thousand were 
compelled to seek safety in other countries. These 
were the people whose condition appealed to the great 
heart of Oglethorpe, and he secured for them a grant of 



12 

territory for a colony to be named in honor of the 
King. It extended "from the head waters of the Sa- 
vannah river to its mouth ; thence along the coast to 
the Altamaha ; up that river to its head waters, and 
thence westerly in direct line from the head waters of 
said rivers respectively to the South seas," which was 
equivalent to an indefinite western extension. 

The land Tying between these two rivers was the 
same chosen in 1717 by Sir Robert Montgomery to 
form a province independent of Carolina to be called 
the Margravate of Azilia. A yearly quit rent of one 
penny per acre was to be paid to the Lord Proprietors, 
and the agreement included concessions on both sides. 
The time limit for settlement was three years from the 
date of grant, and, failing to secure immigration, it be- 
came void. 

Now, Oglethorpe undertook to colonize the territory, 
Sir Robert described as: ''The most amiable country 
of the universe ; that nature has not blessed the world 
with any tract which can be preferable to it ; that Par- 
adise with all her virgin beauty may be modestly sup- 
posed at most, but equal to its excellencies. It lies in 
the same latitude with Palestine herself that promised 
Canaan, which was pointed out by God's own choice, 
to bless the labors of a favorite people." 

Fair Georgia, our own loved land, whose meadows 
and mines, climate, soil, fruits, flowers and game have 
proven all that these ardent admirers of nature de- 



13 

scribed ; whose hills and streams, water falls and val- 
leys make her sons and daughters now declare, as the 
Psalmist of old, that : "She is beautiful for situation, 
and the joy of the whole earth." This was to be the 
refuge of the honestly unfortunate, and those who were 
martyrs in the cause of truth. The land was conveyed 
to Oglethorpe and twenty-one noblemen and gentlemen 
to hold in trust for purposes named. Never were more 
liberal terms granted ; never more unselfish service 
given to humanity. The trustees contributed liberally 
of their private means, and generous response was 
made to Oglethorpe's appeal for aid. The whole na- 
tion Avas in sympathy with the enterprise. Great wis- 
dom was displayed in every detail of the plans ; the 
trustees forbade the importation of rum and negro 
slaves; every precaution was taken to insure success. 
Papists only w^ere excluded. Great care was exercised 
in the selection of immigrants ; no one was permitted 
to come who was not by competent authority judged 
worthy of citizenship. The men were expected to be 
both soldiers and planters, and for that reason reliable 
and strong men were selected, who agreed to conform 
to the terms of the trustees. Oglethorpe, at his own 
request, bearing his own expenses and that of his serv- 
ants, took charge of the colony without expectation of 
reward. At the age of thirty-five he took passage for 
Georgia on the galley Anne, ^November, 1732. There 
were a hundred and thirty persons on board. The 



14 

Duke of Newcastle, then at the head of colonial affairs, 
had addressed letters to the governors of the American 
provinces, commending Oglethorpe and his mission. 
This royal command, however, was not necessary to 
insure his welcome to South Carolina. The protection 
of the colony on the south, the character of the man, 
the human sympathy for their countrymen from the 
old world, all aroused deep and earnest interest in the 
safe arrival of the colony at Charlestown, where the 
Anne anchored outside the bar, Januar}^ 13, 1733. The 
governor, Robert Johnson, gave them a warm welcome, 
and they were treated with great hospitality. The next 
day they sailed for Port Royal, and thence to Beaufort, 
where the}^ arrived in the early morning January 19; 
they were saluted by artillery; the colonists were in- 
vited to land and refresh themselves. 

A few days later, Mr. Oglethorpe having left the col- 
onists in South Carolina (where they were most hos- 
pitably entertained), with Col. William Bull, landed in 
Georgia. They speedily sought an interview with 
Tomochichi, the mico or king of the Yamacraws, a 
tribe whose town lay near the spot on the high bluff 
Oglethorpe desired to select for the site of the new 
town. Two kingly men, representatives of two races 
and two continents, recognized in each other the nobil- 
ity of manhood, and the heartbeat of human brother- 
hood drew them at once to each other. As deep and 
tender as was Oglethorpe's interest for the Salzburgers 



15 

was Tomochichi's for the scattered remnant of the 
Yemassees. Soon after the treaty was made, which 
was never broken, he pleaded for these erring ones, 
whose savage nature had been spurred on by the Span- 
iards until almost exhausted, now earnestly desired to 
return to the graves of their ancestors. True to the 
end, he used his earnest efforts to influence all other 
tribes to friendly relations with the English. The 
treaty with the lower Creeks and lichees was ratified 
October 18, 1733, and Georgia stands as deeply indebt- 
ed to Toniochichi as to Oglethorpe for the stability of 
the colony. Oglethorpe located his tent beneath four 
tall pines fronting the river ; four large tents were 
pitched to accommodate the colonists until houses 
could be built On the afternoon of January 31, 1733, 
having been two days on their journey from South Car- 
olina, the colonists landed in Georgia. In the early 
morning of February 2 the people were called togeth- 
er ; thanksgiving was offered to God for their safe arri- 
val, and His blessings invoked upon the colony, and 

"Amid the aisles of the dim woods rang, 
The anthems of the free." 



16 



CHAPTER lY. 

In the wonderful art exhibit at the World's Fair 
in Chicago, perhaps no picture left a greater impression 
on the minds of the hosts, who saw it, than ''The land- 
ing of Columbus," loaned by a Russian prince. How 
one in that cold distant clime could paint a landscape 
so true to nature, so radiant with the glow of our own 
southern skies, seemed a mystery. Let us see this 
glorious afternoon in a semi tropical clime, reproduced 
in Georgia, with the scene somewhat changed but the 
surroundings the same. Instead of Columbus and his 
men, Oglethorpe stands near the tall pines he has se- 
lected to overshadow his tent, many are there of whom 
we have no record, but we can with certainty declare 
that there were present Col. Bull and his nephew, who 
had so warmly welcomed and entertained him at their 
plantations, en route to Georgia. They brought four 
servants and spent a month aiding and supervising 
the building of the town. Mr. Whitaker, who had sent 
from his Carolina plantation one hundred head of cat- 
tle for the colonists, and Mr. St. Julian, who came with 
his servants to render assistance. A messenger sent 
from Mrs. Ann Drayton with four of her sawyers. 
Rev. Henry Herbert, a clergyman of the Church of 
England, who had volunteered to bear his own ex- 
penses, and give his services to the colony. Tomochichi, 
the Indian mico, over ninety years of age, was there, 



/ 



17 

one of nature's noblemen, whose heartbeat was attuned 
to the voice of the Great Spmt, and his young heir 
and nephew Tonahowi, whom he afterwards gave 
to Oglethorpe to educate. Mary Musgrove (Coosapo- 
nakesee), the Indian half-breed woman, who had mar- 
ried an English trader from South Carolina, and be- 
came Mr. Oglethorpe's interpreter. Mr. Amatis, an 
Italian, whose services the trustees had secured to teach 
the colonists to breed silk worms and wind silk. Mr- 
Joseph Bryan and his son-in-law, Stephen Bull, who 
was the nephew of Col. Bull, brought twenty servants 
for Mr. Oglethorpe to use as he wished Jonathan 
Bryan, who was at this time in his twenty-fifth year, 
and is described in White's Historical Collection, as : 
'*A man of tall and imposing appearance, of great 
strength arid hardihood, and his heart the seat of kind- 
ness." Oglethorpe selected him to survey and locate 
the roads, with the assistance of the twenty men brought 
by his brother Joseph to clear the woods so that the 
present Ogeechee and White Bluff roads, leading from 
Savannah, were the result of his work. Gigantic oaks- 
and magnolias, cedars and myrtle, covered the spot 
where now the spires of churches and the busy marts 
of trade are found. 

Balmy odors of forest trees, mingled with the per- 
fume of the yellow jassamine, our first herald of spring; 
song birds innumerable, chief among these feathered 
warblers, the mocking-birds, filled the air with music. 



18 

The pipe of quail and woodcock, the yelp of wild tur- 
keys, often startled the fleet deer and other dwellers 
ill the grand old woods. Amid this glow of beauty 
and flow of wild music the repose of nature was soon to 
be broken by the sound of axe and saw. 

Other colonists from England joined these during 
the year, but it was not until March 12, 1734, that the 
Salzburgers arrived and were welcomed by Oglethorpe. 
They had for several centuries prior to the reformation 
opposed the corruptions of the Church of Rome, and 
many bloody persecutions were waged against them. 
They were compelled to secrete themselves in the most 
inaccessible mountains of Dauphine, France, Alps of 
Switzerland and Tvrol. During' the reformation thev 
were hunted like wild beasts by emissaries of Rome, and 
suffered every cruelty and malice man could devise. 
They kept the faith and were not forsaken. The first 
company that reached America consisted of forty-two 
families, and numbered seventy-eight persons. The 
land allotted to the Salzburgers was twenty-five miles 
from Savannah, first known as St. Matthew's parish 
and afterwards as Effingham county. They finished 
their journey as they commenced it, with fervent praise 
to God for His great goodness as displayed in their past 
history, but especially in bringing them to so goodly a 
land. After singing a psalm they set up a rock, which 
they found upon the spot, and named the place Ebe- 
nezer (the stone of help), for they could truly say, 



19 

"hitherto hath the Lord helped us." Thus, with devout 
gratitude to God and reliance upon His goodness, the 
foundation was laid for the colony. Soon after the 
Salzburgers were located Mr. Oglethorpe returned to 
England, leaving the colony in comfortable houses, but 
deeply lamenting his departure. He left them accom 
panied by several English gentlemen and Indians, in- 
cluding Tomochichi, his wife and nephew. 

In writing to an English friend of the Indian mico, 
he said he was "a man of excellent understanding, so 
desirous of having the young people taught the English 
language and religion, that notwithstanding his ad- 
vanced age, he has come over with me to obtain means 
and assistant teachers." While in England Mr. Ogle- 
thorpe resumed his seat in Parliament and succeeded 
in securing the passage of two bills, one to prohibit the 
importation and sale of rum, brandy and other dis- 
tilled liquors in Georgia, also to prohibit the importa- 
tion of black slaves or negroes. Both became laws un- 
der royal sanction. 

After faithful service for the colony in England, 
he again embarked for Georgia, December 10, 1735, 
with two vessels, accompanied by many English people 
and twenty-five German Lutherans. He had persuaded 
John Wesley also to come as a religious teacher ; Charles 
Wesley, being anxious to go with his brother, accepted 
the position of private secretary to Mr. Oglethorpe, and 



20 

after a long, tempestuous vo3^age, they reached Savan- 
nah, February 4th, 1736. 

In this way was laid the foundation for the Empire 
State of the South, in which Jonathan Bryan took 
such a conspicuous part. October 13th, 1737, he was 
married in South Carolina to Miss Mary Williamson, 
and lived at the plantation, Walnut Hill, settled in 
1734, where his son Hugh was born September 7, 1738. 
Here in this delightful plantation home eight children 
were born before his removal to Georgia in 1752. He 
settled other plantations in South Carolina called Cy- 
press and Good Hope. Probably not unlike Washing- 
ton's home at Mount Vernon were many of the South 
Carolina and Georgia homes of that time. 

In the writer's childhood many a happy day was 
spent at one near Savannah, built soon after the Revo- 
lution. The windows and doors were brought from 
England, and nearly all the furniture. It was swept 
away by a torch from Sherman's army, December, 
1864. 



21 



CHAPTER V. 

The Savannah river, so called from a tribe of In- 
dians bearing that name, now had nestled on its banks 
the town of the same name, with settlements scattered 
through the country as far up the river as Ebenezer, 
the Salzburgers having changed their location to the 
river front. In 1735 Oglethorpe marked out the site 
for Augusta, and sent a garrison there the next year. 
The river became the medium of trade, boats large 
enough to carry ten thousand pounds of peltry soon 
navigated the stream, and from Charlestown to Au- 
gusta lucrative trade sprung up. 

The Spaniards in Florida watched the growth of 
the colony with jealous eyes, and as their trade laws 
were not free, found many occasions for strife with the 
settlers in the new province. OglethoriDe soon realized 
that he must defend the colony against them, and went 
to St. Simons Island, where he built a house to live in, 
and called the place Fred erica. 

Jonathan Bryan often visited Georgia. He and Mr. 
Barnwell promised to come with a large force of men 
from Carolina to his assistance whenever Mr. Ogle- 
thorpe required their aid. 

At Savannah the colonists were busy in the cultiva- 
tion of silk worms and winding silk ; also the propaga- 
tion of mulberry trees, upon which the worms fed, and 
all kinds of nativ^e fruit trees, also many plants and 



22 

trees imported from England and the West Indies. On 
the coast and sea ishmds constant anxiety about the 
inroads of the Spaniards, and in Savannah dissensions 
among the traders, and dififtculties between the Italians 
employed in the silk industry, caused Oglethorpe much 
anxiety. The settlement that gave him no trouble 
after the location was changed was the Salzburgers at 
Ebenezer. In the wild woods, surrounded by Indians, 
these people, whose hearts were overflowing with grat- 
itude for freedom to worship God according to the dic- 
tates of conscience, supervised by Rev. Martin Bolzius, 
a consecrated and learned man of their own faith, in- 
dustrious, and scrupulously clean in heart and life, 
were the very salt of the colony. In 1 737 they sent to 
England 10,000 pounds of raw silk. 

The impression made on John Wesley when he came 
on the same ship with some of them from England, was 
the beginning of a reconsecration of his life, and through 
him a spiritual uplift in the religion of the world, un- 
known since the days of Luther. As the leader of the 
Reformation had learned that, "The just shall live by 
faith alone," and endued with the power of God's spirit 
to proclaim it to the world, so John Wesley learned 
from these Lutherans, that there were still higher 
grounds of Christian living ; that they had revealed to 
them, that the soul that is hid with God in Christ 
Jesus knows that, "Neither death, nor life, nor angels, 
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor 



23 

things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other 
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of 
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Here on 
Georgia soil it was appointed to him to learn of the 
higher life on earth, to walk through the valley of 
Baca, assailed doubtless by the unseen forces of evil, as 
well as those that were known. To his faithful friend 
Mr. Delamotte he gave the task of gathering the children 
of Savannah together each Sunday, where they were 
instructed by John Wesley himself, and here was laid 
the foundation for Sunday-schools, that later in Lon- 
don was introduced by Robert Raikes. The Lutheran 
minister and Mr. Jonathan Bryan were also his close 
friends, as subsequent events proved, so amid the trials 
through which he passed in a strange land, he was sus- 
tained with human sympathy. The disappointment of 
his sojourn in America was his mission to the Indians; 
it was impossible to teach many of them, except through 
interpreters (these were difficult to obtain), and even 
Tomochichi had learned to know that all of the white 
race were not like Oglethorpe. He told John Wesley 
that he longed to be instructed in the Great Word, but 
hoped that he would not do as the Spaniards had done, 
''Baptize the Indians before they were taught." Thus 
Wesley's experience in Georgia prepared him very 
largely for the work God had in store for him in Eng- 
land, and among the stars that now shine in his crown, 



24 

doubtless many Georgia Indians whom he led to Christ 
are there. 

Soon after his return to England Rev. George White- 
field came to Georgia in 1738. Wesley had preached 
the Law, and although many who heard him bitterly 
resented the Truth as he saw it revealed, he laid the 
foundation for the success of Whitefield. In the power 
of the Gospel, with glowing eloquence, this brilliant 
man reaped a harvest of souls for eternity. '' Paul 
planted, Appollos watered, God gave the increase." As 
like attracts like, he visited Ebenezer, and was so im- 
pressed with the success of the school and orphanage 
conducted by the Salzburgers, that he returned to Eng- 
land in 1741, to secure funds to found the school at 
Bethesda, that is to this day a monument to his zeal, 
and tlie liberality of Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. 



CHAPTER VI. 

In 1 737 Oglethorpe went to England to obtain troops 
to enable him to reinforce the colonies against the 
Spaniards. He raised and equipped a regiment of 600 
men, was given the command of all the forces in South 
Carolina and Georgia, and was henceforth General 
Oglethorpe. War was declared by England with Spain 
in 1739, but before this Gen. Oglethorpe, through Tom- 



25 

ochichi, secured a treaty with all the Indian tribes east 
of the Mississippi. 

His diplomacy, the superb courage of his perilous 
trip to Coweta, where the treaties were ratified, leaves 
him without a peer in the annals of Indian warfare. 
Having received orders in 1740 to invade Florida, he 
called upon South Carolina for aid, and at the head of 
2,000 men, consisting of the regiment he brought from 
England, troops from Carolina, and also a company of 
gentlemen volunteers from that colony, the Georgia 
militia, and some friendly Indians, in the spring of 
1740 he led them into Florida, for the purpose of cap- 
turing St. Augustine. 

Among the volunteers who joined the expedition 
were Joseph and Lieutenant Jonathan Bryan. They 
arrived at the camp at St. Johns May 22d. On the 
24th they removed with a detachment of the Carolina 
regiment to Fort Diego, captured from the enemy about 
twenty miles from St. Augustine. Here Oglethorpe 
had established a fortified camp. The General, in the 
evening, marched out of his camp at Fort Diego, with 
about 100 men of his regiment, with Lt. Bryan and 
six of the volunteers, and a party of Indians. 

On the 26th of May, having marched all night, at 
daybreak they came within five or six miles of St. Au- 
gustine, and in sight of five scattered houses, in some 
of which smoke appeared. Therefore, having called 
the whole body to halt, at about quarter mile distance, 



26 

lie ordered Lt. Bryan with six volunteers under him to 
march up and attack the houses. They searched every 
one of them and brought forth two negro prisoners. 
For want of more assistance, the General then ad- 
vancing with the whole party, said : "Well, I see that 
the Carolina men have courage, but no conduct." To 
which Lt. Bryan replied : "Sir, the conduct is yours." 
The volunteers would have burnt the houses, but the 
General refused to permit them to do it, saying that 
they would serve for the inhabitants thai he would 
bring there. 

The two negroes confessed that they had run away 
from South Carolina, and according to one of their stip- 
ulations with the General, were redeemable to the own- 
ers upon paying five pounds per head to the captors. 
The volunteers agreed to pay him half the salvage and 
keep them, or to receive half and give them to him. 
but the General declining a property in them, refused 
both and took them to himself. He had previously, at 
Ft. Diego, taken from these volunteers several horses 
Avhich they had caught to carry their baggage, and al- 
though cattle were in plenty, it was very difficult for 
them to obtain fresh provisions. The General was ac- 
quainted with this, but said that Diego Spinola should 
be paid for all that were killed. This man, entitled 
Seignor in the articles of capitulation at Ft. Diego, was 
a mulatto who supplied the garrison at St. Augustine 
with beef. 



Ft. Diego had been his property, a cow pen and a 
house, and for his own safety from the Indians he had 
had them palisaded around with cedars fifteen feet 
high 

Before day, June 2d, Moosa, an abandoned fort very 
near St. Augustine, was occupied by Oglethorpe, who 
proceeded to reconnoiti'e the main fort and the town. 
He refused to burn the town although advised to do so 
by Col. Palmer. Lt. Bryan of the volunteers, with 
three or four rangers, went close up to the town and 
brought oft three horses. He found the town in con- 
fusion, the inhabitants shrieking and crying. Upon 
his return he asked the General if it would not be best 
to attack the town then, for if he retreated they would 
make preparations against his return. The General 
replied, that if he should attempt to storm the town he 
would lose 300 men. Deserters afterwards reported 
that the government had ordered the inhabitants, in 
case of attack, to go into the castle. On the 5th of 
June the volunteers, except the General's aid, feeling- 
dissatisfied at their treatment, and disappointed in the 
expectation of attacking the town, returned to St. 
Johns. There meeting the rest of the company just 
returned, Lt. Bryan proceeded no further himself, but 
joined them. Oglethorpe took possession of Anastasia 
Island and proceeded to the investment of St. Augus- 
tine. Ft. Moosa was attacked by night, Col. Palmer, 
twenty Highlanders, some Indians, and a few others 



28 

were killed, and the garrison driven out. Nothing of 
importance was accomplished by the investment. The 
English naval auxiliaries determined, on account of 
storms and other reasons, to raise the blockade of the 
harbor. Oglethorpe abandoned the siege and retired 
in July, 1740. The failure of the expedition caused 
deep mortification, the Carolina troops were accused as 
one of the causes of the failure, an investigation was 
ordered by the General Assembly of South Carolina, 
and they were fully exonerated. 

The grim monster, Pestilence, that follows war prob- 
ably had much to do with the failure of the expedition. 
In a warm climate, destitute of many necessities and 
all the comforts of life, both body and spirit failed, and 
even Gen. Oglethorpe, who reached Frederica July 
10th, 1740, lay ill of fever for two months in the onl}^ 
home he ever had on Georgia soil. During the life of 
the colony, seven years, he had labored unceasingly 
for its safety and preservation. In these days of phys- 
ical exhaustion his cheerfulness never deserted him. 
On this island home, surrounded by beautiful gardens 
of fruits and flowers, fanned by ocean breezes, his phy- 
sical and mental strength was renewed. Here he de- 
termined to gather his troops around him, and defend 
the colony against the foe. History records no higher 
courage, no better generalship than the defense of St. 
Simons Island,. and it was there, July, 1742, that the 
Spaniards in America learned that their struggle with 



29 

England must cease, and later received the repulse, 
from which thev never rallied. 

On the 23d'' of July, 1743, Oglethorpe left Georgia 
never to return. In England, Sept. 15th, 1744, he mar- 
ried a lady of wealth, beauty and many accomplishments. 
In 1765 he was given command of His Majesty's army. 
When the colonies revolted, he was offered the com- 
mand of the British army in America. His reply was: 
"I know the Americans well. They can never be sub- 
dued by arms, but their obedience can be secured by 
doing them justice." He refused the command because 
it did not carry with it the privilege of complete con- 
trol over- questions of grievances and reconciliation. 
He 'died in August, 1785, at the advanced age of 97 
years. Though neither bronze nor marble records it 
in Georgia, it is writ in human hearts : He loved his 
fellow man. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Homeward turned the Carolina volunteers in July, 
1740, through Georgia, of course, they traveled. On a 
warm day, much fatigued and disappointed, they 
reached Bethesda, the home and school founded by 
George Whitefield, near Savannah. The previous 
January, Mr. Whitefield had been the guest of Mr. 
Hugh Bryan at one of his plantation homes in Caro- 
lina. There Jonathan Bryan and Stephen Bull met 



30 

him. Now these weary and foot-sore soldiers received 
a warm greeting from Mr. Whitefield, and were invited 
to rest a while at Betliesda. They gladly accepted the 
invitation, and were refreshed in body and soul. With 
the ocean breezes fanning the gigantic trees festooned 
with graceful vines, the odor of magnolia blooms fill- 
ing the air, and mocking-birds trilling every note in 
the scale, they were reminded of their own homes in 
Carolina, with loved ones eagerly awaiting their return,, 
but to hear the most eloquent preacher of that day, to 
sit at his feet and learn of spiritual things, was the at- 
traction that made them linger by the way. They be- 
longed to the Church of England and had been brought 
up in its fold, but under the power given to this leader 
in the hosts of God's Israel, Jonathan Bryan became 
deeply convicted of sin and greatly concerned about 
his spiritual welfare. ''He returned home rejoicing in 
hope.'' 

The next month Mr. Whitefield was in Charles- 
town on his way to Boston, and Jonathan Bryan and 
Mr. Bull again sought him, to be more established in 
the right way. But it was not until the following Oc- 
tober he makes this entry in his Bible : "John 3, v 
and vi. My conversion from corruption to Christi- 
anity, the time whereof I bless God, I well remember 
was October 24th, 1740. 0, that this day may be much 
to be remembered by me when I was brought out of 



31 

spiritual bondage into the glorious liberty of the Son 
of God. 

"Praise the Lord 0, my soul I 

While I live I will praise the Lord, 

iVnd magnify Him while I have my being! 



TH 

Jon — Bryan. 



Li 1741 Mr. Whitefield, en route to England, em- 
barked at Charlestown. Before reaching Charlestow^n 
he stopped at Good Hope, near Port Royal, a planta- 
tion where Jonathan Bryan was now residing, and was 
entertained in the hospitable style of Colonial Days. 
The advent of this man, so full of the life and power of 
the Holy Spirit, drew crowds around him wherever he 
stopped on his journeys. The effect of his discourses, 
the ability to explain God's Word and its power upon 
his hearers cannot better be explained than in the fol- 
lowing extract from a letter written by Hugh Bryan to 
his sister, dated Feb. 8th, 1740: ''My sins, wliich I 
had overlooked, now stared me in the face. I saw that 
my natural mildness of temper, gravity, kindness, lib- 
erality, justice and temperance, not leading me into 
the excesses of wrath, envjdng, licentiousness, hard 
heartedness, covetousness, fraud and profaneness, 
which man}^ others fell into, had deceived me. On the 
other hand, the inate polkiteness of my soul, as world- 
liness and self-love, applause of men, lukewarraness, 



32 

ingratitude to God, slothfulness in His service, un- 
profitable and sinful thoughts and discourse, these and 
many more sins of the like nature, I found had laid 
under covert in the secret recesses of my soul, unob- 
served till now on a strict search, assisted by the light 
of God's Spirit, I discovered them to my great amaze- 
ment." 

Hugh Bryan was a man full of emotion and his 
religious feeling often led him into rhapsodies. His 
brother Jonathan was of sterner mold, but his piet}^ 
was earnest and practical, and accompanied the whole 
conduct of his long eventful life. After the Bible 
record of his thirteen children, he writes in a vein of 
prayerful solicitude and tenderness: ''0, Lord ! grant 
that they may all be born of Thy Spirit, and may be a 
seed to serve Thee in their day and generation." 

In 1742 the Spaniards invaded Georgia, and Mr. 
James Habersham, then in charge of the Bethesda 
Home, in the absence of Mr. Whitefield in England, 
moved the household, consisting of eighty-six, to South 
Carolina, where they were entertained at the planta- 
tions of Jonathan Bryan and Stephen Bull about six 
months, until the Spaniards had withdrawn. 

When Mr. Whitefield came to America he Avas 
strongly opposed to the introduction of negro slaves, 
but contrasting the condition of the negroes on the 
Carolina plantations with those in Africa, he changed 
his mind and advocated their introduction into Geor- 



gia. He was sharply reproved for speaking in favor of 
slavery by Rev. Martin Bolzius, the minister in charge 
of the Salzburgers, a man of great learning and executive 
ability ; but he firmly held the position and declared 
that Africa would be more speedily Christianized by 
Christian negroes from America than in any other way. 
He saw many of them in Carolina converted to Christ, 
and the work of civilization progress on the planta- 
tions, as he knew it could not in the dark continent. 
Surrounded by an atmosphere of religious excitement 
and reformation, Jonathan Bryan became deeply in- 
terested in this grave question of bringing the salva- 
tion of Christ to the negro. He did personal work 
among them, and gave the use of his barns for preach- 
ing and teaching their children. 

The colonists in Georgia, moved by Mr. White- 
field's influence and yielding to the policy of the 
Mother Country, allowed the introduction of negro 
slaves in 1751. The same year Jonathan Bryan settled 
a plantation in Georgia, and moved into this colony 
with his family — wife, six sons and onedauQ-hter — one 
son having died in Carolina in October, 1749. 

We find in his memoranda this record: "I began 
to settle my new plantation in Georgia, January 1st, 

1751. I removed with my family from South Carolina, 
August 27th, 1752, settled the Monmouth January 22, 

1752. I began to settle Seven Oaks, November 8th, 
1764; our family removed there February 18th, 1765. 



34 

The year 1766 memorable for that most detestible act 
of Parliament called the Stamp Act. The greatest 
hurricane in the memory of man was in 1764, on Thurs- 
day and Friday, 14th and 15tJi of September, succeeded 
by another, 30th, the same month." 

He also owned Brewton Hill, which was at that 
time the largest rice plantation in America, and the 
Union, twelve miles above Savannah, near the spot the 
Charleston and Savannah Railroad bridge crosses the 
Savannah river. He named two of his plantations for 
the country seats of the Bryan family in Hereford 
county England, Dean Forest and Brampton. The 
latter is three miles above Savannah on the river, and 
was probably his residence the greater part of each 
year. * 

CHAPTER YIII. 

In June, 1752, one year prior to the time that the 
Trustees' charter expired, they surrendered it to the 
Crown. The government then devolved on the board 
of trade and plantations, of which the Earl of Halifax 
was the head, subject to the authority of the Crown. 
Captain John Reynolds of the navy was appointed 
Governor, and the constitution of the colony was mod- 
ified. The legislature or General Assembly was to 
consist of two houses, one known as Councillors, the 
other as Representatives, who in conjunction with the 



35 

Governor were to have full law-making power, subject 
to the board of trade and plantations, and ultimate veto 
of the Crown. The Councillors or upper house were 
colonists, appointed by the King. The representatives 
of the lower house were chosen by the people. A new 
judicial system was introduced by the constitution. A 
general court was created consisting of two judges and 
an attorne}^ general, with the right of appeal to the 
Governor and his council ; in certain cases where more 
was involved to the board of trade and plantations, and 
in last resort to the King. The judges appointed were 
Noble Jones and Jonathan Bryan. A Court of Chan- 
cery and Admirality was at the same time established, 
and James Edward Powell was appointed Judge Advo- 
cate. 

The first general assembly met March 16th, 1754. 
Patrick Graham, Sir Patrick Houstoun, Bart, James 
'Habersham, Alexander Kellet, William Clifton, Noble 
Jones, Pickering Robinson, Francis Harris, William 
Russell, Clement Martin and Jonathan Bryan were 
confirmed as the Governor's council for the colony. 
This body divided the province into eight parishes. 

In 1757, under the administration of Gov. Ellis, 
when the peace of Georgia seemed to be threatened by 
French intrigues with the Indians, the Governors of 
{South Carolina and Georgia agreed to invite the Indi- 
ans to hospitable entertainment at Charleston and Sa- 
vannah, and at the same time impress them with the 



36 

military strength of the provinces. At Savannah they 
were received by a hundred Virginia Provincials, de- 
tailed for the purpose by the Georgia Rangers, and by 
the First Georgia Militia, commanded by Col. Noble 
Jones. Sixteen cannon were mounted in the batteries 
about Savannah, and seven field pieces were placed in 
front of the Governor's dv/elling. The Indians escort- 
ed by Capt. Milledge and the Rangers, "were met 
beyond the lines by Capt. Jonathan Bryan and a cav- 
alcade of citizens, who welcomed them in the name of 
the Governor, and regaled them in a tent pitched for 
that purpose." Gov. Ellis' administration was very 
popular, but on account of the infirmities of age he was 
compelled to resign. In 1760, James Wright, Esq., 
subsequently created a baronet, the third and last of 
the provincial governors of Georgia, entered upon his 
office. He was destined to have with Jonathan Bryan 
some notable embroglios. The new governor was a 
native of South Carolina, a lawyer by profession, and 
for a long period was attorney general of that province. 
His large experience in public affairs, high character 
and distinguished loyalty to the British Crown, secured 
his appointment to this important office. In ordinary 
times these qualities would have peculiarly fitted him 
for the position. At the time of his appointment the 
white population of Georgia numbered 6,000 and the 
negro slaves 3,578. It increased rapidly under his ad- 
ministration and in 1776 numbered 50,000. Savannah 



37 

was much improved, and became so noted for its 
healthfulness that many planters from South Carolina 
resorted there during the summers. The dense forests 
on Hutchinson's Island, also to the east and west of the 
town, cut off the malaria from the Carolina rice fields. 



CHAPTER IX. 

But the revolution was approaching, and the ex- 
treme views of the governor did not accord with those 
of the people. The great principle that there can be 
"no taxation without representation," was deep-rooted 
in their minds. Gov. Wright declared this absurd, in 
view of the supremacy of the British Parliament, and 
condemned the General Assembly of the province for 
its approving response to the representatives of the 
province of Massachusetts Bay, and to the Speaker of 
the Virginia House of Burgesses, as to the measures by 
them pursued to obtain redress of their common 
grievances, and dissolved the General Assembly of 
Georgia. 

But in 1768 that body had already framed and 
immediately transmitted through Dr. Benjamin 
Franklin, its agent in London, an address to the King, 
complaining of the tax acts of Parliament, lamenting 
that by "their imposition of internal taxes we are de- 
prived of the privilege, which with humble deference 



38 

we apprehend to be an indutiable right, that of granting 
away our own property." This and all these petitions 
for redress and reform having failed, the Georgians 
united with the colonies in resolutions of refusal to 
import any British goods, which they could produce 
for themselves. A meeting of merchants was held in 
Savannah, September 16th, 1769, in Avhich such meas- 
ures were adopted. Following this, September 17th, 
1769, a public meeting Avas held, at which 'Jonathan 
Bryan presided. Resolutions Avere passed and ordered 
to be published in the next issue of the Georgia Ga- 
zette, then the only newspaper published in the 
province. The preamble of these resolutions clearly 
and forcibly express the grievances of the people : 
"We, the inhabitants of Georgia, finding ourselves re- 
duced to the greatest distress and most abject condi- 
tion by several acts of the British Legislature, by means 
whereof our property is arbitrarily wrested from us, 
contrary to the true spirit of our constitution, and the 
repeatedly confirmed birthright of every Briton, under 
all these aggressions finding that the most dutiful and 
loyal petitions from the colony for the redress of the 
grievances have not answered the salutary purpose we 
intended, and being destitute of all hope of relief from 
our multiplied and increasing distress, by our industry, 
frugality and economy, are firmly resolved never to be 
in the least accessory to the loss of any privilege we are 
entitled to." ''Therefore, we, whose names are herein 



39 

subscribed, do solemnly agree to and with one another, 
that until said acts are repealed, we will most faithful- 
ly abide by and adhere to, and fulfill the following res- 
olutions." Then, briefly condensed, follow the pledges: 
"First, To promote and encourage American manufac- 
tures, and of this province in particular. 2nd. To 
raise sheep for the wool. 3rd. To promote raising of 
cotton and flax and encourage spinning and weaving. 
4th. On no pretense to import British, European or 
East India goods, except the cheapest variety." 
The kinds are stated, showing that the col- 
ony was almost absolutely dependent on 
Great Britain and foreign countries for sup- 
plies. "5th. To neither purchase nor give mourning 
at funerals. 6th. Not to import, buy or sell after 
July 1st, 1770, any negroes brought into the province. 
7th. Not to purchase negroes already imported, or 
goods, wares or merchandise from any person refusing 
to sign the agreement within flve weeks from date 
thereof, and every person signing and not strictly ad- 
hering to the agreement, and also ever}^ one not sub- 
scribing, shall be looked upon as no friend to the coun- 
try." When we realize that the Stamp Act passed in 
1765, imposing a duty on all paper, vellum and parch- 
ment used in the American colonies, and declaring all 
writings on unstamped material to be rull and void.it 
is not strange that it aroused general opposition in the 
colonies. When it was repealed and other concessions 



40 

made, Gov. Wright represented to the Koyal Govern- 
ment ''That these indulgencies gave encouragement to 
the Americans, bringing conviction to them that their 
demands had not only been legal and constitutional, but 
right in themselves;" also ''that the disease having 
been, in some measure, promoted and encouraged by 
the Mother Countr}^," adds: "I perceive the remedy 
and reform must come from them likewise." 

Jonathan Bryan was a member of the Royal Coun- 
cil, and a motion was then made for his expulsion, 
which was not then acted upon, but when informed 
that he had presided over the meeting, the King was 
greatly incensed, and ordered him suspended from this 
and any other office he might hold in the province. 
This order was reported in a letter to the Earl of Hills- 
borough by Gov. Wright, December 9th, 1769, but the 
removal of Mr. Bryan from office was not reported to 
the Earl by Gov. Wright until March 1st, 1770. The 
order of deposition from the Crown came some months 
after this occurrence, but as Mr. Bryan was a member 
of the Royal Council as late as July, 1774, when he 
resigned, it is doubtful, at least, whether the order was 
ever carried out. It raised him still higher in the es- 
timation of the people, and made for him the first mar- 
tyr to the revolution in Georgia. It was regarded as a 
tyrannical act on the part of the King. As a member 
of the council he occupied a dual position — first, as an 
advisor to the Governor; second, as a member of the 



41 

Upper House or Assembly. In either case he was en- 
titled to his opinions and their expression. Without 
these, both councillor and legislator become the mere 
instrument of tyranny and corruption. The members 
of the Governor's Council were required to subscribe 
to the Test Oath and the Oath of Allegiance, but it can- 
not be shown that Mr. Bryan, in presiding over the 
non-importation meeting, was wanting in just observ- 
ance of any of these oaths. There was nothing revolu- 
tionary in the proceedings; they betrayed nothing more 
than grave dissatisfaction with the acts of the Brit- 
ish Parliament, which had reduced them to great 
distress, which they regarded as unconstitutional, 
and which were eloquently condemned in Parlia- 
ment, They resolved upon no measure of vio- 
lence, and only on such a course of action as 
may be pursued by individuals or communities 
for self-protection and for commercial and industrial 
independence. The Royal Cabinet was divided as to 
the issue at stake, and Lord North himself, the Prime 
Minister, was in favor of repeal, but submitted his veto to 
the King, whose rule was rarely to forgive a grievance. 
In ordering the removal of Jonathan Bryan, he at- 
tempted that which he dared not execute on one of his 
own cabinet, who opposed the same measures. Doubt- 
less at this same period, he entertained not a single 
sentiment disloyal to the King ; such seems to have 
been his public reputation. At a dinner given in 



42 

Charleston, May 31st, 1770, in celebration of the land- 
ing of the statue of William Pitt, one of the regular 
toasts announced was to the Hon. Jonathan Bryan. A 
number of toasts were offered, among them to Gov. 
Bull, nor was the King forgotten. Ihe Carolina Ga- 
zette, describing the occasion, speaks of Mr. Bryan as 
a distinguished Whig of Georgia. 



CHAPTER X. 

Deep and earnest as was the interest of Mr. Bryan 
in all the public affairs of the colony it did not inter- 
fere with his personal duties to his church, his home 
or his slaves. Five children were born to him in Geor- 
gia. Seven had died in early youth, leaving at this 
time four sons and two daughters: Hugh, born Sep- 
tember 7th, 1738; Mary, February 16th, 1745; Josiah, 
August 22, 1746; William, January 21st, 1748; James, 
September 22, 1752; Hannah, October 7th, 1757. Mary 
Bryan married in 1766 John Morel, wlio died January 
3rd, 1776. She was afterwards married to Col. Richard 
Wylly. Josiah Bryan was married October 14th, 1770, 
to Elizabeth Pendarvis. He died in 1774. William 
Br3^an was a physician, and never married. 

W^hen Jonathan Bryan was attached to the Church 
of England in 1736 he was appointed with Stephen 
Bull, Hugh Bryan, Joseph Izard and John Mulryne 



43 

to build a chapel on Combahee river, St. Helena Par- 
ish, S. C. After having been brought in close relations 
with Wesley and Whitefield his spiritual life was 
quickened. What was called Mr. Whitefield's irregu- 
larities caused "Rev. Alexander Garden to suspend 
him from office." Doubtless the Bryans espoused his 
cause. This, with the limited church privileges of 
their section, caused them to separate from the Church 
of England in 1740. The Methodists' schism had not 
then occurred, and the Bryans attached themselves to 
the Presbyterian church. In 1742 he with his broth- 
ers Joseph and Hugh, and Stephen Bull organized the 
Stony Creek Independent Presbyterian Church, of 
which Hugh and himself were deacons. A copy of a 
letter he received from Mr. Whitefield is in the old 
South Library, Boston, No. 530. "A letter to the ne- 
groes lately converted in America, and particularly 
those lately called out of darkness into God's marvel- 
ous life, at Mr. Jonathan Bryan's in South Carolina. A 
welcome to the believing negroes in the Household of 
God, by a friend and servant of theirs in England. 
Eph. lil-2. London, J. Hart, 1743." 

Andrew, one of his favorite servants, born 1716, 
died 1812, was an ordained Baptist minister, and 
preached in his master's barn at Brampton. He was 
the founder of the first colored church in Savannah, 
was given his freedom and allowed a lot in Savannah 
belonging to his master to build a house upon. This 



4i 

spot has ever been consecrated to their worship. Upon 
it now stands the Bryan Baptist Church. 

Witli the fervor and h)ud demonstrations ot the 
negroes at their religious services it was supposed on 
one occasion that they were plotting mischief, and An- 
drew was arrested and whipped. His master interceded 
for him, the matter was examined b}' several leading- 
citizens, there was no evidence that the slaves were in 
mischief, and Andrew obtained permission Irom the 
Chief Justice to continue to preach. The following is 
part of the inscription on his tombstone : "He has done 
more among the poor slaves than all the learned doc- 
tors in America. He was imprisoned for the Gospel 
and without any ceremony whipped, but was willing 
to suffer death for the cause of Christ. He was an 
honor to human nature, an ornament to religion, and 
a friend to mankind." 

As an evidence that Mr. Bryan's interest in the re- 
ligious instruction among the negroes never ceased, 
the following letter is found in Volume V, Methodist 
Magazine, 1785: 

''New York, April 1st, 1772." 
"Reverend Sir : 

"By a letter from Mr. Lloyd, from London, we are 
informed that you incline to visit America. Mr. White- 
field's preaching was of unspeakable use to many, but 
he preached mostly in seaport towns and the most pop- 
ulous parts of the province, where the gospel was 



45 



known, though not preached in power. In the back 
l^arts which are now grown populous the inhabitants 
are still in a state of deplorable ignorance. If some 
zealous and able teacher would engage heartily in the 
work of their conversion, how soon might rivers spring 
forth in the desert, and these owls and dragons of the 
Avilderness give honour to God. No doubt many in 
England and elsewhere, who abound in wealth, would 
contribute toward erecting schools to teach the children, 
and also toward the support of preachers, if such an 
undertaking was properly set on foot. But who is qual- 
ified for this work? I know none except yourself. 

"But, Dear Sir, what concerns me more than all, is 
the unhappy conditions of our negroes, who are kept 
in worse than Egyptian bondage. The clothes we wear, 
the food we eat, and all the superfluities we possess, are 
the produce of th^ir labors, and w^hat do they receive 
in return? Nothing equivalent. On the contrary we 
keep from them the key of knowledge, so that their 
bodies and souls perish together in our service. If, 
therefore, you are not too advanced in years, I say to 
you, in the name of God come over and help us ; in 
doing which you will greatly oblige many thousands, 
but among the rest, 

"'Your friend and brother, 

"Jonathan Bryan." 

Jonathan Bryan was one of the truest and purest 
types of the southern planter. Thousands like him, as 
faithful to God and man have gone to rest with the 



46 

slaveholders Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So faithfully 
did they discharge their trust to the negro race, that 
in time of peril they could safely trust them. The oc- 
casional exception to this rule proved its truth. 

During the war between the States, a hundred and 
twenty years later, when six hundred thousand south- 
ern men, the strength of the land and the flower of its 
youth, went forth to fight as Washington did for con- 
stitutional republican liberty, they left their women and 
children and their aged ones to the care of their negro 
slaves. With faithful toil they labored to maintain 
them and supply their masters in the field with bread. 
Unsurpassed in the annals of history was their loyalty 
to the southern people, and rare indeed was found any 
lawlessness among them. Even when the Emancipa- 
tion Proclamation was issued with the hope of causing 
insurrection in the South, they were unmoved in their 
devotion to their owners. So far superior were their 
morals and manners to those of this era, thirty-six 
years after emancipation, that it is refreshing te find 
one who had even a few years' training under the old 
regime. 

The Hebrews were held in bondage in Egypt two 
hundred and fifteen years ; the Africans in England 
and America exactly the same length of time ; they 
were brought to Georgia against the protest of a ma- 
jority of her people; when the Ruler of the Universe, 
who marks even the sparrow's fall, saw fit to release 
them, it was done. 



47 



CHAPTER XI. 



Responding to a call dated July 20th, 1774, a 
number of the freeholders and inhabitants of the 
province held a meeting in the Watch House, in Sa- 
vannah, to take action as to the critical situation grow- 
ing out of the late acts of the British Parliament, as to 
the town of Boston, as well as to the acts tending to raise 
a perpetual revenue without the consent of the people, 
or their representatives. John Glenn presided, and 
the meeting authorized a committee of thirty-one to 
prepare resolutions similar to those adopted by the 
JSIorthern colonies, and expressive of the sentiments 
and determination of this province. Mr. Bryan was 
one of this committee. The meeting adjourned until 
the 10th of August, that invitations might be extended 
to delegations from other parishes. August 5th, Gov. 
Wright issued a proclamation declaring the meeting 
"unlawful, and its acts unconstitutional, illegal and 
punishable by law." Nevertheless, the adjourned 
meeting, now a general meeting of the inhabitants of 
the province, was held at Tondee's Tavern, in Savan- 
nah, August 10th, 1774, declaring the rights of the 
colonies, denouncing the acts of Parliament, concurring 
with sister colonies in every constitutional measure to 
obtain redress of American grievances. Before Gov. 
Wright's proclamation was issued, he convened his 
council to advise as to the best means of checking the 



48 

proceedings of the people, and, as Jonathan Bryan's 
name was on the list of the committee, a motion was 
made to expel him from his seat in the council. But 
as McCalTs History says : "Mr. Bryan, with patriotic 
indignation, informed them in a manner peculiar to 
himself, for its candor and energy, that he would save 
them the trouble, and handed his resignation to the 
Governor." 

The Union Society, controlling Bethesda Home, 
then as now, composed of the representative men of the 
community, recognizing the patriotic course of Mr. 
Bryan and the personal sacrifice he was offering to the 
public cause, presented him with a silver vase, now in 
possession of Mr. Joseph Bryan, of Richmond, Va. 
The vase bears the following inscription : 

^'To 
Jonathan Bryan, Esq., 
who, for publicly appearing in 
favor of the rights and liberties 
of the people, was excluded from 
his Majesty's council of this 
province, this piece of plate, as 
a mark of their esteem, is present- 
ed by the Union Society in 
Georgia." 

(obverse)- -'lia citique eveniat derepublica meruit.'' 



49 

Public affairs were now the object of intense in- 
terest to all, especially in Savannah, where the two 
forces, the Tories led by Gov. Wright on the side of the 
Crown, and the Whigs for the colonies, had culminated 
in the meeting at Tondee's Tavern, August 10th, 1774. 
The issue seemed for the Crown or for the country. 
Gov. Wright began to realize that the majority were 
for the rights of the people. With all his talent, 
diplomacy seemed to have failed, so now the arts of 
the politician were all that was left by which he could 
hope to win his cause. To strike at one of the leaders 
of the Whig faction was his strongest weapon, an op- 
portunity seemed to open for him in an unexpected 

way. 

.Near the close of the Provincial Congress that con- 
vened October 18th, 20th, 1774, Gov. Wright had read 
before that body a treaty made by Jonathan Bryan and 
certain prominent citizens of East Florida, with twen- 
ty-one head men, Avarriors, chiefs and kings of the 
Creek Nation. There were discrepancies that doubtless 
were well understood by the public at that time, but 
now cannot be explained. One of these was that the 
treaty or lease was dated October 28th, 1774, but Avas 
read before the Assembly October 20th. The effective 
portion was as follows : "For and in consideration of 
one hundred pounds sterling, lawful money of the 
Province of Georgia, to them in hand paid, at and before 
the sealing of these presents and receipt whereof is here- 



50 

by acknowledged, and also for and in consideration of 
the great regard they bear to the said Jonathan Bryan, 
have and each of them hath, in behalf of themselves, 
their heirs and successors, and behaltalso of the Creek 
Nation, devised, granted, and to farm let unto the said 
Jonathan Bryan, his heirs, executors and administra- 
tors, all that plantation tract or parcel of land known 
by the name of Locheway, and the Appalachee river 
to the north, by the line drawn part of the said river, 
where the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers meet, to the 
source of the St. Mary's river, and from thence on a 
souihwest course, on a direct line to the Gulf of Mexico, 
being in part, of the land belonging to the Creek Nation, 
together with all the premises and appurtenances there- 
to belonging. To have and to hold the said tract or 
parcel of land and premises before mentioned, with the 
appurtenances, unto the said Jonathan Bryan, his 
heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, from the 
date of these premises, for and during and until the 
full term of four-score and nineteen years from thence, 
and next enduring and fully to be complete and ended. 
Yielding and paying therefor yearly, and every year, 
unto the said Chehaw Kako, and other lessees, their 
heirs or successors, the rent of one hundred bushels of 
Indian corn, delivered on some convenient parcel or 
tract of land." 

John Stuart, at that time Indian Superintendent, 
Noble Jones, J. E. Powell, Clement Martin, Jr., John 



51 

Graham, Lewis Johnson, James Read and James Hume 
united in the following published statement, substan- 
tiallv confirmed by Anthony Stokes, Chief Justice of 
the Province (fornierly associated with Jonathan Bryan 
in the General Court): 

"When all the other business of the Congress was 
finished His Excellency Gov. Wright produced the 
deed and directed the interpreter to inform the Indians 
of it, and to acquaint them that he was greatly 
surprised that they should be so tenacious of their 
lands whenever a request was made in behalf of the 
Government, and that they should give away so large 
a body to an individual. The countenances of the In- 
dians sufficiently denoted their astonishment. Tala- 
chee one of those who had put his mark to the deed, 
declared the whole transaction which was interpreted 
to them was as follows: 'When he and others came 
down to mark, that Mr. Bryan came to them and 
brought with him some white men and an Indian 
wench named Maria, who could speak English, and 
requested by her to have a spot of land to settle a cow- 
pen and raise some corn upon, that he meant to come 
and live among them and settle a store. That he also 
understood that the paper contained a good talk to the 
Nation ; that he and the rest of them, after being fol- 
lowed to Woods' saw-mill, put their mark to it but told 
Mr. Bryan at the same time they must carry it to the 
Nation to have it confirmed there; but that it was never 



presented to the Nation.' The other Indians who were 
at the Congress seemed much annoyed. One said that 
he would not leave the house till the paper was burnt, 
and one in particular declared that it was his opinion 
if the paper was not destroyed the Nation would not 
believe what had passed at the Congress. His Excel- 
lency requested that the deed might not be destroyed, 
but the Indians might, if they pleased, tear off their 
seals and marks, which at their request was done, and 
added also, ' It will sufficiently open the eyes of the 
public' " 

Chief Justice Stokes in his statement adds : "Upon 
the whole it did appear and still does appear, that the 
Indians were deceived and that the lease was obtained 
by misrepresentation." The deposition of the two loy- 
alists, Jacob Moniac and Samuel Thomas, sworn inter- 
preters to the upper and lower Creek Nations, taken 
before Justice Stokes, reaffirms the foregoing statement 
and Talachee's declaration before the Congress, he be- 
ing the principal speaker. "That the Tonkabachee 
warrior had said they were all deceived, that the Cow- 
eta warrior said if the aforesaid paper was not de- 
stroyed, that the head men and chiefs in the Nation 
would not believe what was done at said Congress." 
Talachee himself after seeing said paper and the seals 
thereon, laid hold of it, and would have his seal torn 
oft. His Excellency Gov. Wright at the request of the 
Indians ordered Mr. Wylly, the Clerk of the Council, 



53 

to cut off all the seals, and told the Indians that he 
would not permit the paper to be destroyed, that he 
wanted to have a copy made to send to the Governor 
of Florida; that Talachee told His Excellency that 
Maria, wife to St. Diego, was interpreter between Air. 
Bryan and the Indians, and that the day after the Con- 
gress Maria, being desirous of exculpating herself, came 
to Jacob Moniac, one of the deponents, and took him 
to Mr. Bryan, and she, Maria, said: ''Mr. Bryan, I am 
accused by the chiefs and the head men of the Nation 
to hav^e interpreted, to have given away a large portion 
of land ;" and also said, "I have now brought the inter- 
preter with me, and I desire you to tell him before all 
the Indians now present what you told me to interpret 
to the Indians then present." That Mr. Bryan an- 
swered : "He had asked the Indians for a piece of land, 
that the Indians asked him, 'Where do you want it, on 
the Okonee or the Altamaha river?' To which he an- 
swered : 'No, I do not want it in this Province, for the 
Governor of Georgia and I do not a^^ree,' and further 
added, he wanted it where he could bring great boats 
up." That the Indians then asked him what he want- 
ed it for? to which he answered, that he had great 
flocks of cattle, and if they Avould give him land in the 
Appalachee Old Fields, or on the mouth of the Flint 
river, he would come and live among them and make 
a town laro'er than Savannah, and would get a great 
number of friends to come and live with him, but if it 



54 



was not agreeable to the whole Nation, men, women 
and children, he would not insist on it. Jacob Moni^c 
lurther deposed, that Mr. Bryan in the conversation 
with Maria further said: ''If I find it disagreeable to 
the whole Nation I shall not trouble myse.f any more 
about it," and added, ''The land is your own, it neither 
belongs to the King nor the Governor, and you may do 
as you please with it." 

Samuel Thomas, the other deponent, for his part 
sayeth : "Having had frequent talks with the chiefs, 
head men and warriors of the Nation since the said 
Congress, that they were all angry at such a paper be- 
ing wrote, particularly Pumpkin King, the Chehaw 
warrior, Talachee, and several other head men and 
warriors. Mr. Tate, the deputy superintendent, de- 
sired this deponent Thomas to acquaint them that the 
Hon. Mr. Stuart, superintendent, had heard that Mr. 
Bryan had reported, that many or all of them had 
been at his house begging him to take them hack.^ In 
answer to which all of those now present, except Tala- 
chee, denied having been there to off\ r 1 ack the land ; 
that if any Indians had been there it must have been 
their young men, and if they had been at Mr Bryan's 
house*^ it was of no consequence. Talachee said that he 
had been at Mr. Bryan's house and had drunk a glass 

of wine. 

''And also this deponent Thomas further sayeth, that 

all the aforementioned chiefs, head men and warriors 



bb 



declared if any white man settled there, meaning, as 
this deponent l)elieves, the land supposed to be leased 
to Mr. Bryan, it would be attended with bad conse- 
quences; and the Coweta warrior said to this deponent 
last night that if the papers had not been destroyed, it 
was the only thing that would have occasioned a war 
with the white people, and lastly these deponents say, 
that from what passed at the Congress, and from sev- 
eral conversations they have since had with the Indi- 
ans, they do believe the said writing was obtained by 
deceiving the Indians. 

''Sworn to in the Province of Georgia the day and year 
first above written. "Anthony Stores. 



his 

"Jacob x Moniac. 

mark 

"Samuel Thomas." 



CHAPTER XII. 



These publications appeared in the Georgia Gazette, 
November 2nd, 1774, and they were responded to in 
the same journal, November 12th, by an anonymous 
writer over the signature "Veritas," who being well ac- 
quainted with this affair from from its origin declared 
Mr. Bryan extremely ill treated, and refuses to be silent 
when he sees him so injuriously attacked and unjustly 
represented. The writer declines to enter into a detail 



56 

of the manner in which Mr. Bryan obtained the deed, 
but proceeds to kiy bare the inconsistency apparent in 
the conduct of the Indians with Mr. Bryan, the Gov- 
ernor and the Congress. "The first publication," the 
stateineut says, "that fifteen marks were put to the 
deed, and, speaking of Talachee, says he understood 
that tlie paper contained a good tallc to the nation, 
meaning that he knew not the true purport of it, but 
told Mr. Bryan at the same time that they must carry 
it to the nation to have it confirmed there. Poor sav- 
ages, how they were imposed upon, and I liope that 
every man who reads, without dust in his eyes, will 
subscribe to the congruity of the assertion." 

Commenting on the statement of Justice Stokes, 
Veritas declares 'liis opinion in this affair has been 
given rather precipitately, and is built upon misrepre- 
sentations, and as his opinion seems to reflect some cen- 
sure on my friend (and friendship with me must ever 
be held sacred), I hope he will pardon me for making 
some short strictures upon his publication. He says: 
'It did and still does appear to me that the Indians 
were deceived, and that the lease was obtained by mis- 
representation ;' if I am not mistaken some one of the 
Indians gave, as a reason for signing the deed, that 
Mr. Bryan, or some person in his behalf, signified that 
the lease was for some land to keep a cow-pen or build 
a store on. Mark this, Mr. Printer, what was before a 



57 

^ood talk is now a lease, and it is confessed that the 
Indians knew it." 

Veritas continues to write : ^'A third publication, 
the deposition of Jacob Moniac and Samuel Thomas, 
these men have sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, yet 
I dare venture to say if you ask them who the Holy 
Evangelists are, they will tell you they never heard of 
them in the Creek Nation, but it was probable they 
were Indian traders, who existed many years ago, of 
which no tradition has been handed down to the pres- 
ent tribe of warriors. These men, I say, have been 
called upon to bear testimony, and after all what have 
they sworn ? Why, that Mr. Bryan asked the Indians 
for a piece of land, that the Indians asked him 'where 
do you want it, on the Okonee or on the Altamaha 
river?' To which he answered, T do not want it in 
this province, for the Governor of Georgia and I do 
not agree,' and further added he wanted it at a place 
where he could bring boats up, and that he would come 
and live among them and would get a number of his 
friends to come and live with him. Now, let us re- 
mark on this tremendous deposition of these important 
sworn interpretors of the upper and lower Creek 
Nation, perhaps it may be rash to interfere with such 
superior beings, but 1 cannot for the life of me forego 
the impulse. First, he would make a town larger than 
Savannah, I suppose to polish and refine them up to 
town life, and would get a number of friends to come 



58 

and live with him, probably two or three thousand cow- 
pen keepers, with their wives and children at a place 
where he could bring boats, meaning great ships, to 
trade with his cattle and renew the days of old Aesop, 
when man and benst conversed together. Now, where 
is the deception in all this? Tell me, ye men of can- 
dour and ingenuity — to the corrupt and prejudiced I 
speak out — let them enjoy their own opinions and feed 
themselves with the poisonings of their own gall. 
1 heir arrows, directed against such a man as Jonathan 
Bryan, would be like the Trojan darts, which made no 
impression on tlie shield of Achilles. One word more 
and I have done. It is asserted in the above mentioned 
deposition that the chiefs, head men and warriors de- 
clared that if any whites had settled those lands sup- 
posed to be leased by Mr. Bryan, it would be attended 
with very bad consequences. The second publication 
says 'very disagreeable consequences might have 
arisen.' A very serious consideration, truly. But what 
could those c(m sequences have been, and from what 
source could they have come? That gentleman would 
have made all his promises good to the Indians, and if 
honor, justice and a strict regard to his engagements, 
could have maintained harmony and peace, Jonathan 
Br3^an bid fair to have gained a valuable acquisition to 
the Crown, which deliberate envy, private pique, and 
rancour of heart, have attempted to overset. There are 
men so tenacious of the honor of the Crown that the 



59 

Summum Bonum of their happiness would seem to de- 
pend on it ; but say ye Might Sticklers is it for the 
advantage of the Crown to set the gratification of a 
private animosity in competition with your Master's 
interests? From such Pharisaical loyalty defend m.e 
Heaven ! "Veritas." 

In the same issue of the Georgia Gazette, immedi- 
ately following the communication signed ''Veritas," 
appears this answer from Jonathan Bryan himself: 

"7b the Printer: Sir — Whatever motive might 
have induced the Honorable Gentlemen to have given 
their opinions so freely, respecting the obtaining and 
validity of a lease of a body of land from the Creek 
Nation upon such testimoay as appeared, and was laid 
before them, is best known to themselves, but this is 
certain, that had they really been anxious to ascertain 
the truth, nothing at that time was more practicable. 
The papers themselves were upon the spot, and had an 
inquiry been made by men of character and candour, the 
truth would have appeared, the minds of the public 
would not have been poisoned with misrepresentation 
and error. The Honorable Gentlemen have assumed 
to themselves power which should alarm a people de- 
sirous of living as freemen. They publish their opin- 
ion as the standard of decision ; they even deny the 
principles of common justice. For instance, admitting 
their supremacy in deciding points of publick legisla- 
tion, the}^ have condemned me without even that hear- 



60 

ing, which our laws allow the most detestible culprit ; 
notwithstanding my being in town almost every day, 
when the lease was in agitation and those affidavits 
were procuring and publication preparing, I was never 
called on as a gentleman or party concerned to say any- 
thing about it while the Indians were down, whereby 
the matter might be amicably understood and ex- 
plained to the publick if necessary. I have heard that 
the Indians appeared to be uneasy when the lease was 
brought in question and my character so much repro- 
bated for having accepted it, and their acquiescence in 
the destruction of it was the effect of their tenderness 
and regard for me, fearing, from what was said, that I 
should suffer as an individual if it was not destroyed. 
If the Honorable Gentlemen, or any one else, should 
doubt the reality of this assertion, they may know that 
I have it from themselves, and a little time will prove 
the truth of what I have said, and the honor, attach- 
ment and steadiness of the Indians in that particular. 

''I am, sir, your most obedient servant, 

" Jonathan Bryan. 

''Savannah Ga., Nov. Sth, 1774." 

These opinions of the witnesses were founded 
wholly on ex parte testimony, obtained in the absence 
of Mr. Bryan, and without allowing him an opportu- 
nity for explanation or defence. Moreover, it was ex- 
pressed by men all of whom were under the influence 
of Gov. W^right, ardent loyalists like himself, members 



61 

of his council and among the dissenters to the resolu- 
tions passed at Tondee's Tavern, August 10th, 1774. 
John Stuart was Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and 
like Justice Stokes held his appointment from the 
Crown. All were in political opposition to Mr. Bryan, 
and so far as Gov. Wright is concerned, Mr. Bryan 
openly avowed that he wanted land outside of his 
provmce, because he and the Governor of Georgia did 
not agree. No one undertook to reply to the commu- 
nication of Jonathan Bryan '*To the Printer." But 
traditional facts, which seemed to throw some light 
on this matter, were that he was a special favorite with 
the Indians. Their head men and others came every 
year to visit him at his house. This tallies with the 
statement that Talachee admitted his having been at 
Mr. Bryan's house, after the scene before the congress, 
and of his having taken a glass of wine there. Talachee 
was not only the leading chief in the Indian deputa- 
tion, but the principal speaker in the drama before con- 
gress, and it is quite improbable that if he sincerely 
entertained for himself, or respected the indignant and 
vindictive sentiments then expressed by his fellows, 
that he would so soon after have gone to the house of 
Mr Bryan and accepted his hospitality. This would 
not comport with the Indian character, and strongly 
sustains Mr. Bryan's declaration, that their conduct be- 
fore the congress as confessed by the Indians to him. 



62 

was governed by a fear that he would suffer at the hands 
of the government. 

It may be equally true that they were moved by 
fears for themselves. They had just obtained a treaty 
by which all previous treaties were confirmed, existing 
grievances condoned, all differences settled, and their 
dramatic rage over the cession to Mr. Bryan only 
concealed the fear of some consequent disturbance of 
the terms, or of the total abrogation of the final treaty 
by the government. They had been told by Governor 
Wright that the King of England could send him a 
force sufficient to exterminate the whole Indian nation, 
and they trembled at the thought of having conceded 
to an individual what they had denied to the King of 
England. 

It will be noticed that when called by Maria, the 
interpreter, to state in the presence of the Indians what 
he had told her to say, Mr. Bryan said the land they 
had ceded to him was their own : 'Tt neither belongs 
to the King nor the Governor, and you may do as you 
please with it." 

Gov. Wright himself, in his rebuke to the Indians, 
admitted their rights, and in a subsequent treaty actu- 
ally paid the traders, to whom they had become in- 
debted, for-ty thousand pounds for a large part of the 
most valuable territory of Georgia, ceded to the Crown 
by the Indians in consideration of this settlement. This 
was the price not only of the land but of the amity and 



63 

contentment of the Indians, and forever dismissed their 
rights. But in the transaction with Jonathan Bryan 
the cession was direct in its nature — no third party 
like the traders, greedy and oppressive in their claims, 
were concerned. It retained the future right of the 
Indians in the fee of the soil, and was onlv a part of 
large tracts of uncultivated territory tliat belonged to 
that nation. It is true that the annual rental was in- 
considerable, but it was costly to clear land and pre- 
pare it for cultivation. What consideration, if any, was 
paid to the Indians? Their lands were seized and ruth- 
lessly granted away under letters of patent in absolute 
disregard of their rights. In their transaction with 
Jonathan Bryan their rights were to be kept alive dur- 
ing his tenancy, and at its termination the land would 
have reverted to the proper owners. In the meantime, 
it would have been settled, cultivated and so increased 
in value that the Indians would have o-ained enor- 
mously in the reversion. Florida had been ceded to 
Great Britain by Spain in 1763. Spain had no title to 
its territory and but little regard to the treatv, as 25,- 
000 English people in West Florida, as late "as 1783, 
were compelled to seek homes elsewhere on account of 
Spanish occupation. This exodus would pi-obably have 
been averted if the real treaty made by Jonathan Bryan 
with the Indians had not been annulled. 



64 



CHAPTER XIIL 



Party strife between Whigs and Tories was culmi- 
nating. That the people were loyal to the King and 
the Mother Country cannot be doubted, but unjust and 
tyrannical laws they had resolved to resist. The ma- 
jority of the Salzburgers protested against the resolu- 
tions of August 10th. Driven like wild beasts from 
one country to another, they had at last found a home 
of rest in Georgia, and felt that it would be disloyal to 
take sides with the colonists against the Mother Coun- 
tr3^ The strong ties of blood, language and religion 
bound many others who refused to take sides against 
England ; but the battles of Lexington and Concord 
aroused the reluctant sentiments of the people and 
united the colonists. The shedding of blood could not 
be condoned, and Gov. Wright found many of his most 
ardent supporters now falling from his ranks. The 
magazine at Savannah was broken into, and the am- 
munition it contained, about six hundred pounds, was 
removed. Some sent to Beaufort, S. C, the remainder 
secreted. On the night of the 2nd of June, 1775, all 
the cannon on the Bay at Savannah were spiked, dis- 
mantled and thrown down the bluff. A lihert}^ pole 
was erected, but even then, in testimony of the disposi- 
tion to reconciliation with the Mother Country, the 
first regular toast drank on tias occasion was to the 
King, but the second was to American liberty. Sub- 



65 

sequently, June 22nd a Council of Safety was appoint- 
ed, of which William Ewen was president. These and 
other movements in Georgia, finally culminated in the 
proceedings of the Provincial Congress, assembled at 
Savannah on the 4th of July, 1775, which united the 
province with the other twelve American colonies in 
resistance to and separation from the British govern- 
ment. From C. C Jones' History of Georgia we quote 
the following: "Memorable in the annals of the colony 
were the proceedings of the Provincial Congress, which 
assembled at Savannah on the 4th of July, 1775. 
Every parish was represented, and the delegates were 
fitting exponents of the intelligence, the dominant 
hopes, and the material interests of the communities 
from which they respectively came. This was Georgia's 
first secession convention. It placed the province in 
active sympathy and confederated alliance with the 
other twelve American colonies, practically annulled 
within her limits, the operation of the objectionable 
acts of Parliament, questioned the supremacy of the 
realm, and inaugurated measures calculated to 
accomplish the independence of the plantation, and its 
erection into the dignity of a State." 

The following committees, submitting proper cre- 
dentials, then came together at Tondee's Long Room : 

Tinrn and District of Savannah — Archibald Bul- 
loch, Noble Wimberly Jones, Joseph idabersham, Jon- 
athan Br} an, Ambrose Wright, William Young, John 



66 

Glenn, Samuel Elbert, John Houstoun, Oliver Bowen, 
John McUluer, Edward Telfair, Thomas Lee, George 
Houstoun, Joseph Reynolds, John Smith, William 
Ewen, John Martin, Dr. Zably, William Bryan, Philip 
Box, Philip Allman, William O'Bryan, Joseph Clay, 
Seth-John Cuthbert. 

District of Vernonhurg — Andrew Elton Wells, 
Matthew Roach, Jr. 

District of Acton — David Zubly, Basil Cowper, 
William Gibbons. 

Sea Island District — Col. Deveaux, Col. De Le 
Gall, James Bulloch, John Morel, John Bohan Girar- 
deau, John Barnard, Robert Gibson. 

District of Little Ogeechee — Francis Henry Harris, 
Joseph Gibbons. 

Parish of St. Matthew — John Stirk, John Adam 
Treutlen, George Walton, Edward Jones, Jacob Casper 
Waldhauer, Philip Howell, Isaac Young, Jenkin Davis, 
John Morel, John Fieri, Charles McCay, Christopher 
Cramer. 

Parish of St. Philip — Col. Butler, William LeConte, 
William Maxwell, Stephen Drayton, Adam Fowler 
Brisbane, Luke Mann, Hugh Bryan. 

Parish of St. George — Henry Jones, John Green, 
Thomas Burton, William Lord, David Lewis, Benjamin 
Lewis, James Pugb, John Fulton. 

Palish of St. Andrew — Jonathan Cochran, William 
Jones, Peter Tarlin, Lachlan Mcintosh, William Mcln- 



67 

tosh, George Threadcraft, John Wereat, Roderick Mc- 
intosh, John Witherspoon, George Mcintosh, AHan 
Stuart, John Mcintosh, Raymond Demere. 

Parish of St DavidSeth-John Cuthbert, William 
Williams. 

Parish of SL Marifs — Daniel Ryan. 

Parish of St. Thomas— John Roberts. 

Parish of St. Paul — John Walton, Joseph Maddock, 
Robert Rae,'James Rae, Andrew Moore, Andrew Bar- 
ney, Leonard Marbury. 

Parish of St. John — James Screven, Nathan Brown- 
son, Daniel Roberts, John Baker, John Bacon, James 
Maxwell, Edward Ball, William Baker, William Bacon, 
John Stevens and John Winn. 

This congress reassembled January 20th, 1776, and 
enacted the first constitution of Georgia, which re- 
mained in force until superseded by that of February, 

1777. 

Among the rules and regulations adopted therein 
were: "First, there shall be a president and command- 
er-in-chief appointed by ballot in this congress for six 
months. Second, there shall be in like manner and for 
the like time also a Council of Safety, consisting of 
thirteen persons, besides the five dele,ii,ates to the gen- 
eral congress, appointed to act in the nature of a Privy 
Council to said president or commander-in-chief. Third, 
the president shall be invested with all the powers of 
government not inconsistent with what is hereafter 



68 

mentioned, but shall be bound to follow the advice of 
the said council in all cases whatsoever, and any seven 
of said committee shall be a quorum for acting." 

Archibald Bulloch (the ancestor of President 
Roosevelt) was president of the congress and command- 
er-in-chief. On 11th of December, 1775, the following 
members of the Council of Safety were appointed : 
George Walton, William Ewen, Stephen Drayton, Noble 
W. Jones, Basil Cowper, Edward Telfair, John Bohan 
Girardeau, John Smith, Jonathan Bryan, William Gib- 
bons, John Martin, Oliver Brown, Ambrose Wright, 
Samuel Elbert, Joseph Habersham and Francis Henry 
Harris. 

This council continued to act and legislate for the 
province during all the initiatory movements of the 
revolution in Georgia. It ordered the arrest of Gov. 
Wright, John Mulryne, Josiah Tattnall and Anthony 
Stokes, and the disarming of all non-associates whore- 
fused their parole, not to aid, assist or comfort any of 
the persons on board his Majesty's ships of war, or take 
up arms against America in the present unhappy dis- 
pute. The officers of the battalion authorized by Con- 
gress were commissioned to arrest the sailing of eleven 
merchant ships, laden with rice, lying at the wharves 
of Savannah. Appraisement was made of houses in 
Savannah and its hamlets, of friends to the cause and 
none others, in order that the owners might be identi- 
fied for losses in defense of the town. It was also re- 



69 



solved, that it was incumbent on the friends of Ameri- 
ca in this province to defend the "Metropolis," i. e., 
Savannah, as long as the same shall be tenable, and 
rather than it be taken and employed by them the same 
shall be destroyed. Persons holding property were re- 
quired to report to headquarters in Savannah and to 
defend the same on pain of suffering all the conse- 
quences contained in the foregoing resolutions. These 
measures were precipitated by the presence at Five 
Fathom Hole of the British squadron carrying seventy 
guns under Capt Barclay, and between two and three 
hundred light infantry and marines under Maj. Grant. 
The Provincial Congress refused to permit the British 
commander to secure supplies; he then determined to 
capture the vessels laden with rice, which were moored 
on the southern shore of Hutchinson's Island opposite 
Savannah. For this purpose Capt. Barclay placed one 
of his vessels in Back river abreast of the town, and 
sent the Hinchinbrook, a schooner of eight guns, around 
the head of Hutchinson's Island. The Hmchinbrouk 
went aground, was attacked and would have been cap- 
tured by a body of riflemen under Maj. Joseph Haber- 
sham could boats have been procured, but floating at 
high water she escaped. 

The night of March 2nd Maj. Maitland and Grant 
landed their troops from the vessel in Back river, and, 
marching across Hutchinson's Island, took possession 
of the rice vessel at 4 o'clock in the morning. The au- 



70 

thorities in Savannah were not informed of this until 
several hours later. C apt. Rice, who had dismantled 
the vessel under orders of the Council of Safety, was 
forcibly held when he boarded one of the vessels. Capt. 
Demere and Lt. Roberts were sent unarmed to demand 
the release of Capt. Rice but they were detained as 
prisoners. The release of these officers having been de- 
manded and refused, two four-pound shots were fired 
from the breastworks erected on Yamacraw Bluff by 
Col. Mcintosh. James Jackson and James, the young 
son of Jonathan Bryan, manned this gun. The British 
commander then agreed to treat with any twenty of- 
ficers sent for the purpose. Capts. Screven and Baker 
were detailed, taking with them twelve of the St. John's 
Rangers, who were pulled up under the stern of the 
vessel, when they demanded the return of the captive 
officers. Capt. Baker, provoked by the insulting lan- 
guage of some one on board, fired at him ; a discharge 
from swivels and small aims from the vessels nearly 
sunk the boat ; but the party, though under this fire as 
long they were in range, retired with but one man 
wounded. For about four hou»s a fire then was kept 
up between the breastworks at Yamacraw and the Brit- 
ish troops on the vessel. The Council of Safety deter- 
mined to burn these vessels. Among those who volun- 
teered for this service were : Cgpt. Bowen, John Morel, 
Lt. James Jackson, 1 homas Hamilton and James Br} an. 
One of the vessels, the Inverness, was fired and turned 



71 

adrift, communicating the flames to three others, which 
were burned. Two escaped to sea, leaving six disman- 
tled. Meantime the British troops, in much confusion, 
took to the marsh on Hutchinson's Island, where thev 
were galled by the fire of Georgia riflemen and 
grape from the field pieces. They were finally dis- 
lodged, with the aid of the Carolina volunteers and 
militia, under the command of Col. Stephen Bull, as- 
sisted by Maj. Bourquin. The British squadron dropped 
down to its previous anchorage in Tybee Roads. Capts. 
Rice and Demere, and Lt. Roberts being still held as 
prisoners, Anthony Stokes, James Edward Powell, 
Josiah Tattnall, John Mulryne and others of the Royal 
Council remaining in Savannah, were arrested in retal- 
iation. About the 20th of March the former were re- 
leased, therefore the members of the Council were also 
released, on the condition that if remaining in Savan- 
nah they have no communication with the King's 
troops or ships in this province. The safety of their 
person and property to be secured so far as the same 
could be protected by the Council of Safety, or to goon 
board the ships at Cockspur, and take their apparel, 
provisions or anything else they might think necessary 
for their voyage, if they were disposed to leave the 
province. 



72 



CHAPTER XIV. 

The northern portion of Tybee Island was at that 
time laid off into building lots, and the habitations 
erected there were used by Gov. Wright, who had es- 
caped from arrest, and had fled to the ships ; and also 
by the officers of the squadron and the soldiers. Pres- 
ident Bulloch led an expedition for the purpose, and 
burned all these buildings, except one occupied by a 
sick woman and several children. 

In June, 1776, Mr. Bryan went to Charlestown, 
and informed Gen. Lee of the exposed condition of 
Georgia to the ravages of the British cruisers, whose 
headquarters were at St. Augustine. Gen. Charles Lee 
was then in command of the southern department ; he 
called upon the Georgia Council of Safety to send a 
deputation to confer with him in regard to the condi- 
tion of Georgia and the best means of defense against 
both external and internal enemies. Col. Lachlan Mc- 
intosh, Jonathan Bryan and John Houstoun were del- 
egated to this duty, and arrived in Charlestowri within 
a few days after the great viqtory of June 28th, in 
Charlestown harbor. Without proper preparation of 
boats, food or medical supplies, Gen. Lee sent the 
troops to capture St. Augustine. As might have been 
expected the expedition proved a failure. 

President Bulloch issued a proclamation in 1776, 
calling a general election between the first and tenth 



73 

of September for representatives to meet in Savannah 
on the first Tuesday in the following October. The 
convention met, but it was not until February, 1777, 
that the constitution was finally agreed upon. This 
was the first regular constitution of Georgia until the 
meeting of the new legislature, provided for the follow- 
ing May ; the pre-existing system of government 
was continued. President Bulloch was requested, un- 
der a resolution of the Council of Safety passed Febru- 
ary 22, to take upon himself the whole executive pow- 
ers of government. Before the end of the month he 
died, greatly lamented. 

Button Gi-winnett was elected in his place on the 
fourth of March, but it is found that on the 26th of 
the same month Jonathan Bryan was acting as Vice 
President and commanded in behalf of the State of 
Georgia. The constitution of 1777 was admirably 
adapted to the exigencies of the times. President 
Gwinnett's unhappy difficulty with Gen. Mcintosh 
ending in his death, John Treutlen was elected Gov- 
ernor in May, 1777. Jonathan Bryan was retained in 
the council. 

November, 1778, the field of active operations had 
been transferred by the British authorities from the 
north to the south. It was arranged that Gen. Augus- 
tine Prevost should send from St. Augustine two expe- 
ditions, one by water under Lt. Col. Fuser, the other 



74 

by land under Lt. Col. Mark Prevost, the two to unite 
at Sunbury. 

Col Prevost advanced into Liberty county, where 
he was met by Col. John Baker, with a few mounted 
militia, and afterwards by CoL John White, with about 
one hundred continentals and militia, and two light 
cannon. On the morning of November 28th Col. 
White was joined by Gen. Screven with twenty militia. 
They took position about one and a half miles south of 
Medway church, where an ambuscade could be laid. 
The enemy, how^ever, conceived the same design, and 
the advancing parties approached each other. Gen. 
Screven who was reconnoitering on foot, was mortally 
wounded. He was carried into his own house, which 
was not far distant ; when the enemy discovered its 
ownership they decided to burn the house, and Gen. 
Scre\ en died while being carried out of it. Col. White, 
finding himself opposed by superior numbers, retreat- 
ed ; but Prevost, deceived into believing that the former 
was falling back on supports coming from Savannah, 
and finding Fuser's command had not reached Sun- 
bury, that the forces of Cols. Elbert and White had 
united at the Ogeechee, determined to return to St. 
Augustine, but not until he had burned Medway 
church, plundered the country and subjected the in- 
habitants to robbery and insult. Late in November, 
Col. Fuser again appeared before Sunbury and invest- 
ed the town by land and water. Col. Mcintosh held 



75 

Fort Morris with less than 200 men, but when its sur- 
render was demanded, Mcintosh replied: "Come and 
take it," but Fuser, hearing that Prevost had retreated, 
abandoned the siege. At this time the expedition of 
Col. Campbell was on its way to the reduction of Savan- 
nah, the town being in a very defenseless condition and 
the people alarmed by the formidable force of the en- 
emy. Jonathan Bryan was at his plantation home 
called "The Union," on Union creek, about twelve miles 
from Savannah, in South Carolina. Gov. Houstoun 
sent the public records by boat to his residence for safe 
keeping. These records were subsequently sent to 
Charlestown, later to North Carolina and finally to 
Maryland, where they remained till the close of the 
war. 

On the 27th of December, 1778, the British had 
anchored in Tybee Roads. Two men were captured on 
Wilmington Island and gave the information that Col. 
Campbell determined to move on Savannah on the 
same day. At noon on the next day's flood tide there 
came a man of war, a galley, an armed brig and the 
armed sloop ^'Greenwich," followed by the transports in 
three divisions. The man-of-war moved into the reach 
opposite Brewton Hill about four o'clock in the after- 
noon, and drove back two American galleys which had 
fired upon her. The day being far spent and some of 
the transports aground, the attack was delayed until 
daylight next morning, when the first division of the 



76 

British landed on the river dam at Brewton Hill. The 
Light Infantry, under Capt. Cameron, moved forward 
on the rice field bank leading from the river, to dis- 
lodge a company of forty men under Captain 
Smith, of South Carolina, posted on the summit of the 
bluff, over thirty feet high, which overlooked and com- 
manded the approach of the enemy. Capt. Smith's 
force being driven back, joined the main army. The 
road to Savannah was then laid open and the capture 
of the metropolis virtually accomplished. Gen. Howe's 
failure to meet the enemy from the summit of Brewton 
Hill seems incomprehensible and inexcusable. Here 
was an elevation rising thirty or more feet above the 
rice fields, which could be inundated and made to ap- 
pear like ditches, and rendered almost impassable to 
those attempting to move in line of battle. The man- 
of-war intended to cover the landing, being the advance 
ship of the enemy, lay more than a mile away, beyond 
effective cannon range. The approach was a narrow 
causeway, probably a dam not m.ore than four feet on 
the top, forming a defile on which the attacking party 
must move in file, exposed to the most fatal fire on front 
and flank, and yet only forty men were assigned to 
cover this position, the only one tenable under Gen. 
Howe. 

December 29th, 1778, Col. Elbert, recognizing the 
strength of this position, urged the importance of hold- 
ing it, and offered his regiment for the purpose ; but 



77 

Gen. Howe, rejecting the only position where he could 
have been defended, threw his army across the Thunder- 
bolt road near where it now crosses Liberty street. Here 
a traverse was thrown up. mounted with two guns; a 
hundred paces in front of this was sunk a trench to 
impede the march of the enemy, and a bridge across 
what is now Bilbo's Canal was burned From this cen- 
tre, the Thunderbolt road, lay th right wing, consist- 
ing chiefly of the Carolina regiments of Cols. Hugerand 
Thompson. They rested on a wooded swamp partly 
covered by hous* s of the Tattnall plantation, which were 
occupied by riflemen. The round-house and shops of 
the Savannah, Florida and Western R. R. are now 
located on this spot. The left was under the command 
of Col Elbert, consisting of a part of the First, Second, 
Third and Fourth battalions of Georgia Continentals. 
These rested obliquely to the rear of Col. Elbert's posi- 
tion, now occupied by the gas works extending to the 
rice fields of Gov. Wright's plantation. To the rear 
lay the town. The force under Col. Campbell numbered 
two thousand. The troops under Gen. How^e, other 
than the militia, numbered six hundred and seventy- 
two. Although informed of the path which led through 
the swamp south of the Thunderbolt road and urged 
by Col. Walton to guard it, Gen. How^e allowed the 
enemy to pass through unopposed, under the guidance 
of a negro named Quamino Dolly. Approaching by 
this path, and close to it, but unobserved by the Amer- 



78 

ican outposts, Sir James Baird with the Light Infantry 
and New York Volunteers attacked and put to flight a 
body of one hundred militia, which had been posted to 
guard the road leading to the Ogeechee ; that is to say, 
about where Jones, Charlton and Bull streets now in- 
tersect near Jasper's monument. Hearing the firing 
in the engagement of Sir James Baird, and as assured 
that the American right had been turned, Col. Camp- 
bell, whose line of battle lay across the Thunderbolt 
road, only a little west of where the present toll gate 
is, opened in front with his artillery and ordered a gen- 
eral charge. The Americans yielded in a panic and 
fled. Fortunately Col. Roberts held the causeway next 
to the Augusta road, across the head of Musgrove creek, 
for the American right to pass ; but the left, under Col. 
Elbert, in attempting to pass between the causeway and 
the river, through the rice fields on Springfield planta- 
tion, was arrested by Musgrove creek then at high tide. 
Here many were drowned ; those only escaped who 
could swim. The capital of the State was now in the 
hands of the enemy. 

According to Gen. Moultrie's account of the His- 
tory of the Revolution in South Carolina and Georgia: 
"Gen. Howe called a council of his field officers, who 
advised him not to retreat, but stay and defend Savan- 
nah. This was the most ill advised, rash opinion that 
could be given. It is absurd to suppose that six or 
seven hundred men, some of them raw recruits, could 



79 

stand against two or three thousand as good troops as 
the British had, led by Col. Campbell, an active, brave, 
experienced officer. Gen. Howe should have retreated 
with his men up the country, as he had certain infor- 
mation that Gen. Lincoln was marching with a body of 
men to join him, and did actually arrive at Purisburg 
on the third day of January, only four days after his 
defeat. Gen. Howe was tried by courtmartial for the 
loss of Savannah and acquitted." 



CHAPTER XV. 

While a man of Mr. Bryan's strength of character 
must have found many pleasures in life, probably not 
the least of these was that of having his sons united 
with him in heart and purpose, through the eventful 
years of his country's struggle for liberty. His first 
born son, Hugh, and Dr. William Bryan, sat with him 
as members of the Continental Congress in Savannah, 
July, 1775, also John Houstoun, who married his daugh- 
ter, Hannah. From their number were elected the dele- 
gates to the Congress the next year in Philadelphia, who 
were directed to vote for the independence of the col- 
onies. 

But many sorrows also had been his portion, prob- 
ably that which caused his deepest grief, was the sud- 
den death December 19th, 1776, of his son Hugh by a 



80 

fall from his horse. Hugh Bryan was thirty-eight years 
old, and a deacon in the Presbyterian church. How 
tender the bond between this father and son, who were 
so congenial, can readily be understood. 

We can also be assured of his delight in the brave- 
ry of his young son James (who was a lieutenant in 
the Continental line of the Georgia brigade), the part 
he took at the battle of Savannah, and in the destruc- 
tion of the ships. 

With this son James, his wife and daughter, Mrs. 
Morel, he was now, three days after the reduction of 
Savannah at his plantation, "The Union," where the 
public records had been sentby Gov. Houstoun for safe 
keeping. That night Lt. Clarke, hoping to capture Gov. 
Houstoun, despatched up Union creek to this planta- 
tion the ''Phoenix" or Fowey man-of-war; he did not 
find the Governor, but took Jonathan Bryan and his 
son James prisoners. His daughter, Mrs. Morel, 
pleaded on bended knees with Sir Hugh Parker for her 
aged father's release ; she was treated with rudeness and 
contempt. They were taken to New York and placed 
on prison ships, where they suffered great hardships. 

McCall's History says: "Many gentlemen, who 
had been accustomed to ease and affluence, were con- 
signed to these abominable prison ships. Among the 
number was the venerable Jonathan Bryan, bending 
under the weight of years, whose daughter, when she 
was entreating Sir Hugh Parker to soften the sufferings 



81 

of her father, was treated by him with vulgar rude- 



ness." 



The following report was sent from Gen. Moultrie 
to Col. Dart, January 20th, 1779: *'We have nothing 
from the enemy these several days; they are lying still 
in their quarters and we in ours. We frequently have 
flags going to and with necessaries to our unfortunate 
prisoners. We are just going to send one with neces- 
saries for poor old Mr. Bryan, who is ordered to pre- 
pare himself to go to New York." 

The following letters express more eloquently than 
conjecture can suggest the sufferings of tne captives, 
and the agony of separation from the wife and mother : 

"Long Island, June 2nd, 1780. 
''My Dear Wife: 

''We still reside on Long Island, where our ex- 
penses are high. In this place are few instances of 
generosity or hospitality, but without money we cannot 
subsist; t have drawn on Mr. Basil Cowper for sixty 
pounds in favor of Mr. Ralph MacNair & Co. ; with 
these gentlemen I have had an extensive credit, and 
they must be paid. My dear wife Mollie, if there should 
be any difficulty with Mr. Cowper, who, I believe, 
would be glad to serve me, please to apply to our 
daughter, Mrs. Morel, who, if you are not in cash, will 
assist you in settling this affair to the satisfaction to 



82 



those concerned. I am, dear wife, your ever affection- 
ate husband, 

''Jonathan Bryan. 
^♦To Mrs. Mary Bryan, 

'^Brampton (near Savannah), Gra." 



*'LoNG Island, June 3rd, 1780. 
"Dear Wife: 

"Yours of the 25th of March came to my hand, 
and gave me great pleasure to find you once more in 
hopes of doing well. I reflect with concern on the 
man}^ difficulties you have gone through, and the 
gloomy prospect yet before you, of spending the dregs 
of life under a series of trouble, which, I doubt not, will 
be sanctified to you. Our separation from each other 
sits heavy on my mind, and I reflect, with great sorrow, 
on being deprived of the happy seasons of bending our 
knees in union before the Throne of Grace. Our 
prayers are recorded in God's Book ; our tears are pre- 
served in His bottle, and future destination is in His 
hands. 

''I expect to see you no more on this side of time, 
as I decline fast, but shall meet you in Heaven, where 
the wicked will cease from troubling and the weary 
are at rest. I have no prospects of an exchange, and I 
know not how long I may remain in a situation where 
I am a burthen to myself and expense to you. Re- 
member me to our dear children, and also to our poor 



83 

slaves, if we have any left I have had no account of 
affairs since I have bean in this place, or whether any 
of our property yet remains in your hands. I shall 
conclude with prayer that God may, in time of distress, 
hide you under His pavilion and cover you under the 
hollow of His hand. 

"Your affectionate husband, 

"Jonathan Bryan. 
'T. S. — Our son James is well, and sends his duti- 
ful respects to you and love to his brother and sisters. 
The bearer, Mr. Jackson, has treated me with great de- 
cency and friendship, and I beg that his kindness may 
be returned." 



^^ Brampton, Ga., June 11th, 1780. 
'^Dear Mr. Bryan : 

"1 received your two letters of 22nd of August and 
19th of November, informing me of your and James' 
health, which gave me the greatest satisfaction, not 
having heard from you for a length of time. I wrote 
to you in November last, and shall be punctual in do- 
ing so by every opportunity. Since your absence I re- 
turned to Brampton, where I now reside with most of 
our property, and hope to do well. My treament has 
been exceedingly perlight, everything considered ; have 
little reason to complain. My greatest concern is for 
yourself and James, fearing you may be in want of 
money. At present it is not in my power to remit; am 



84 

truly sorry it has not been done before this, but am in 
great hopes will be able shortly. Be assured every 
eifort will be employed to do so. I think, by applica- 
tion to the commanding officer for self and James, a 
parole might be procured to return to Georgia and re- 
side with me. We are far advanced in years, and ac- 
cording to the course of nature cannot live long. Could 
this request be granted, I shall look on it as the most 
happy event of my life; on my part, will do everything 
in my power to promote. I pray that God, in His 
great goodness, may comfort and support us in all our 
afflictions. I heard from Hannah a month ago, at 
which time she was'well at Jacksonborough, S. C. Mr. 
Morel, Mrs. Cuthbert, Mrs. Cowper, with their families, 
are well ; their children have been inoculated for the 
small-pox and safely recovered, also myself inoculated 
in my old age and safely recovered, bless God, with 
scarcely a day's sickness. I do most earnestly recom- 
mend the keeping up your spirits with fortitude, and 
being resigned to the dispensation of God, who will, 
in His own good time, relieve us from every affliction. 

"From, dear Mr. Bryan, your affectionate wife, 

"Mary Bryan. 

"Billy is with us, and joins with the greatest love 
to self and James. 

'*When you write, please direct your letter to Mr. 
Basil Cowper. 



85 

"Directed to Jonathan Bryan, Esq., Prisoner oi 
War at Long Island, to the particular care of the com- 
misarys of prisoners/' 

"I expect to see you no more on this side of time," 
wrote Mr. Bryan from his prison on Long Island to his 
wife, thinking that his own declining health would 
terminate his life before he would be released from cap- 
tivity. But while he was yet in imprisonment, the 
faithful and devoted partner of forty-four years of 
union, yielded up her life March, 1781. Mrs. Nancy 
Cuthbert, daughter of Joseph Bryan, was present at her 
death bed. Up to this time Jonathan and James Bryan 
had been in captivity two years and two months. How 
much longer this continued is not known, but the suf- 
ferings of the aged captive and his son, in at least a 
portion of this long and inhuman confinement, may be 
inferred from McCall's History : ''Some of the Georgia 
prisoners, who were exchanged for a like number sent 
from Charleston in March or April, were so emaciated 
when they arrived in camp that they were obliged to 
be carried from the boats in which they were brought 
from the prison ships. They complained highly of the 
ill treatment which they had experienced on board the 
filthy, floating dungeons, of which their countenances 
and emaciated bodies exhibited condemning testimony. 
They asserted that they had been subsisted on con- 
demned pork, which nauseated the stomach, and oat- 
meal so rat-eaten that swine would not fare on it. That 



86 

the staff of officers and members of the council from 
Savannah shared in common with the soldiery — even 
tlie venerable Bryan was obliged to partake of such re- 
pasts or die of hunger. In consequence of such mal- 
treatment five or six died daily, whose bodies were 
taken from the prison ships to the nearest marshes and 
trodden in the mud, from whence they were soon ex- 
posed by the washing of the tide, and at low water the 
prisoners beheld the carrion-crows picking the bodies 
of their departed companions ; about one-third of the 
prisoners perished." 



CHAPTER XVI. 

It is related that Jonathan Bryan took part in the 
operations of Gen. Wayne in the spring of 1782. This 
confirms the fact of his exchange. 

During his captivity stirring events had occurred 
in Georgia. After the fall of Savannah, Sunbury and 
Augusta the enemy were virtually in possession of all 
Georgia. Gov. Wright resumed his administration 
July 14th, 1779. The property of those who did not 
espouse the royal cause was plundered by the troops, 
or sequestrated to the use of the Crown. Loyalists 
alone were permitted to sell their produce and only to 
loyal purchasers. The families of such as had adhered 
to the cause of their country were stripped of their 



87 

property by plundering enemies before it could be re- 
moved to places of security. Bandits, under the name 
of Loyalists, were let loose to pillage them of all that 
was movable. Negroes, stock, furniture of every de- 
scription, clothing about their persons, ear and finger- 
rings and breast-pins were considered good prizes. 
Children were beaten, to extort from them the secret 
deposits of valuable property. Obscene language was 
used ; personal insults offered to women, and life under 
such conditions was insupportable. Many were obliged 
to abandon the country and seek a dependent residence 
in the adjoining states in midwinter. Those who had 
practiced such cruelties were not spared when the for- 
tunes of war threw them into the hands of their adver- 
saries. Retaliation on both sides became ttie order of 
the day, and the war begun for freedom became a war 
for extermination. February 14th, 1779, the country 
became the scene of the most active warfare. A brill- 
iant victory was won by the Americans at Kettle 
Creek, and minor operations around Augusta proved 
successful. Col. Campbell evacuated some points in 
February; much annoyed by the Americans, he with- 
drew to Hudson's Ferry on the Savannah river. 

The American force, under Gen. Ashe, was defeat- 
ed in March. Leaving Gen. Moultrie with 1,200 men 
at Purisburg and Black Swamp to watch the enemy in 
the event of an attempt to move into Carolina, Gen. 
Lincoln led the remainder of the American force 



88 

towards Augusta, but discovering that Gen. Pre- 
vost had advanced into Carolina and threatened 
Charleston, he halted at Silver Bluff, on the Savannah 
river, in April, 1779. But Prevost's operations against 
Charleston were unsuccessful, and, retreating by way 
of the sea islands, he returned to Savannah after post- 
ing at Port Royal a detachment of 800 men under Col. 
Maitland, destined to a distinguished part in the Brit- 
ish defense of Savannah, October, 1779. His army 
passing through the best settled district of South Caro- 
lina bore away about 3,000 slaves, who were sold in the 
West Indies. About 1,000 followed the army and were 
lost, perishing in the streams, which they could not 
cross, or in the woods from disease and want, or from 
the cruelties of the soldiery, Jones says in his History 
of Georgia : "To this day Otter Island is strewn with 
their bones. One million dollars and valuables of all 
kinds were taken from South Carolina." Ramsey 
says: "The British carried rice barrels full of plate, 
which they had taken from the inhabitants. The 
repositories of the dead were in several places 
broken into, and the graves searched for hidden treas- 
ures. What was destroyed by the soldiers Avas sup- 
posed to be of more value than what they carried oflP. 
Feather beds were ripped open for the ticking. Win- 
dows, chinaware, looking-glasses and pictures were 
dashed to pieces. Not only the larger animals were 
wantonly destroyed, but the licentiousness of the sol- 



89 

diers was so great that nothing within their reach, how- 
ever insignificant, was permitted to live. The gardens, 
which had been improved with great care and orna- 
mented with foreign plants, were laid waste." 

These ravages were repeated in Georgia and Caro- 
lina when Sherman, with the largest invading army of 
modern times, passed through a breadth of country 
thirty miles wide, from A^tlanta to Savannah, and later 
to the capital of South Carolina. Thousands of living 
witnesses can attest the truth of his report to Abraham 
Lincohi : "Not a crow could find its rations in a day's 
journey." 

Jonathan Bryan's planting interests lay within 
the scenes of ruthless plunder and devastation. Finally 
on the 9th of October, 1779, the combined French and 
American forces, under d'Estaing and Gren. Lincoln, 
were hurled against the British defenses about Savannah 
and were repulsed with great loss. Among those who 
fell were Count Pulaski, Col. Jones, of Liberty county. 
Aide to Gen. Mcintosh, and Sergeant Jasper. May, 
1780, Gen. Lincoln withdrew his army from Georgia, 
and attempted the defense of Charlestown, which was 
captured by Sir Henry Clinton, May 12th, t780. The 
defense of Charlestown was even more injudicious than 
that of Savannah under Gen. Howe. In the former 
case. Gen. Washington himself dechired that the im- 
practicability of defending the bar amounted to the loss 
of the town and garrison. The repulse of the Ameri- 



90 

cans at Savannah and the fall of Charleston 
seemed to destroy the hopes of the republi- 
cans in Georgia, and many of them resumed al- 
legiance to the Crown. Some retired to their home- 
steads, seeking to make subsistance for their families ; 
others remained under arms and continued the war 
with unabated vigor, but with varying success. Au- 
gusta was besieged, but the investment was raised on 
the approach of reinforcements. In April, 1781 , move- 
ments were renewed against Augusta and the town was 
surrendered June 5th, 1781. Augusta then became the 
capital of the State. In August of the same year 
]\athan Brownson was elected Governor^ and James 
Bryan, who, with his father, had returned from captiv- 
ity, was elected Treasurer of the State with a salary of 
one hundred and fifty pounds per annum. Between the 
fall of Savannah in December, 1778, and June, 1781, 
great weakness existed in both the Boyal and Repub- 
lican Governments of the State. Neither could assem- 
ble a quorum of the Legislative department. In Jan- 
uary, 1782, a Legislature assembled at Augusta and 
carried into effect the laws previously enacted, confis- 
cating the estates of Loyalists. As taxation was 
impossible, a system of credit was adopted to pay the 
militia and maintain the government. Gov. Martin 
had succeeded Gov. Brownson, and in his administra- 
tion the war was ended in Georgia. In 1782 Gen. An- 
thony Wayne was appointed by Gen. Greene to com- 



91 

mand in Georgia. He crossed the Savannah river 
January 12th, made liis headquarters at Ebenezer, and 
Gov. Martin removed the seat of government to that 
town. The British were virtually driven from the soil 
except from Sunbury and Savannah. Forays of the 
enemy from these places were invariably driven back, 
while the Republicans, under the daring lead of Col. 
James Jackson, pressed their assaults almost to the 
gates of Savannah. They burned the rice stacks of 
Gov. Wright, on which Col. Campbell had formed his 
line of battle in December, 1778. Ramsey says, in his 
History of the Revolution : ''On the 21st of May, 1782, 
Col. Brown, at the head of a considerable party, marched 
out of the garrison at Savannah, with the apparent in- 
tention of attacking the Americans, consisting of sixty 
horse and forty infantry. The Americans were led by 
Col. White of the cavalry and Capt. Parker of the in- 
fantry to a spirited charge, in which forty of the men 
commanded by Col. Brown were killed or wounded, 
about twenty taken prisoners and the remainderobliged 
to shelter themselves in the swamp under cover of 
the night. Mr. Jonathan Bryan, a respectable citizen 
of the State of Georgia, though nearly eighty years of 
age, was among the foremost on this occasion, and 
showed as much fire and spirit as could be exhibited by 
a young soldier in the pursuit of military fame." 

In this restricted condition the British command- 
er, Gen. Clarke, invited the assistance of the Creek 



92 

Indians, and Garistersigo, a bold aad skillful chief, led 
towards Savannah a band of about three hundred war- 
riors. By swift secret marches Guristersigo crossed 
the whole territory of Georgia undetected and reached 
the vicinity of Savannah. Finding a picquet of Gen. 
Wayne's command stationed nearly in his path near 
Savannah, he made arrangements to attack the picquet. 
He was not aware that Gen. Wayne never camped on 
the same ground two successive nights and had changed 
positions on the evening of June 22nd, his main force 
occupying that of the picquet. Nor was Wayne 
aware of the proximity of the Indian force, believing 
that no attack would come except from the direction 
of Savannah, he had posted but one sentinel in his 
rear. Capt. Parker's Light Infantry, which had come 
in late, fatigued by several days' duty, was ordered to 
the rear near the artillery. In the meantime, soon 
after nightfall June 23, 1782, Guristersigo commenced 
his silent march ; about three o'clock in the morning 
he had reached the vicinity of the American camp and 
formed his order of attack. He expected to find no re- 
sistance, the solitary sentinel was slain and the whole 
force of Guristersigo at once assailed the camp. The 
Americans were encamped on the Gibbons plantation, 
near Savannah, the house being occupied by Gen. 
Wayne. They were promptly aroused on finding an 
enemy among them, and Capt. Baker fell back to the 
Gibbons house, behind Avbich was the quarter guard. 



93 

The general ordered the guard to attack with bayonets 
and before the main force, under Col. Posey, could 
come up from the camp the Indians had been driven 
from the cannon, which they were trying to turn upon 
the Americans. This advantage was gained by the lib- 
eral use of the bayonet and sword. Orders had been 
given to depend exclusively on these weapons, and that 
this might be complied with the flints were taken out 
of the muskets of the infantry. Gen. Wayne, whose 
horse had been killed under him, participated in the 
militia with his light troops. Guristersigo, with his 
white guides and seventeen of his warriors, was killed, 
the remainder fled. In the pursuit twelve men were 
taken and executed. The American loss did not ex- 
ceed twelve killed and wounded. This extraordinary 
conflict was the last battle of the war on Georgia soil, 
occurring at a time after Gov. Wright had informed 
Gen. Wayne of the proceedings in Parliament looking 
to an adjustment between England and the United 
States and a cessation of hostilities. This proposition 
had been forwarded to Gen. Greene and by him to 
Congress a month before the battle of June 23rd. Sir 
Guy Carleton had dated his order from New York 
for the evacuation of both Savannah and Georgia on 
the afternoon of July 11, 1782. 

The British having evacuated Savannah in the 
morning, Gen Wayne took possession of the town with 
his troops. The preliminary treaty of peace was Nov. 



94 

20th, 1782, and the final treaty Sept. 3rd, 1783. Soon 
after Gen. Wayne joined Gen. Greene, leaving Col. 
Jackson with his legion at Savannah. 

Jones' History says : "The whole population of 
Georgia at that time, bond and free, did not exceed 
thirty thousand souls. Deplorable was the condition of 
Georgia; for forty-two long months had she been a prey 
to rapine, oppression, fratricidal strife and poverty. 
Fear, unrest, the brand, the sword, the tomahawk had 
been her portion. In the abstraction of negro slaves, 
in the burning of dwellings, in the obliteration of plan- 
tations, by the destruction of agricultural implements, 
and by theft of domestic animals and personal etlects, 
it is estimated that at least one-half of the available 
property of the inhabitants had duringthis period been 
swept away. Real estate had depreciated in value ; 
agriculture was at a standstill, and there was no money 
with which to repair the losses and inaugurate a new 
era of prosperity. The lamentations of the widow and 
orphan were heard in the land. These not only be- 
moaned their dead, but cried aloud for food." 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Amid scenes like these Jonathan Bryan's last years 
were spent; but his heart was full of gratitude, as once 
again he sat by his hearthstone at Brampton with his 



95 

daughter — Mrs. Richard Wylly, formerly Mrs. John 
Morel, and his sons James and Dr. William Bryan. 

The will of Jonathan Bryan, the first on record in 
Chatham county, shows that he owned forty-eight 
slaves at the time of his death. These must have been 
truly loyal and remained with the family of their own 
choice, as both the Indians and the British would glad- 
ly have aided their departure from Brampton had they 
wished to leave the place. 

In 1784 we find Jonathan Bryan a trustee with 
Robert Bolton of the Presbyterian church in Savannah. 
Involuntarily the thought arises that it was of such as 
he that Christ said: ''Well done good and faithful 
servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I 
make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into 
the joy of thy Lord." 

From the Georgia Gazette of March 13th, 1788, we 
quote the following: ''On Sunday last died at his 
place, near Savannah, in the eightieth year of his age, 
the Hon. Jonathan Bryan, Esq., who had been for fifty 
years an inhabitant of this State ; both under former 
and present governments he filled several important 
stations. The many virtues which this gentleman pos- 
sessed, both of a social and private nature, will not be 
readily forgotten. Having at an early day removed 
into this State, he acquired a thorough and accurate 
knowledge of the country. This enabled him, and his 
generous heart always inclined him, to render that aid 



96 

to the new settlers that he may be justly styled as one 
of the principal Fathers and Founders of Georgia. 
Zealous in the cause of Christ, he considered modes of 
worship but a secondary, while a great first principle 
with him in all true religion was universal charity. 
Being in the late war taken prisoner, he was made to 
undergo a series of persecutions and hardships scarcely 
to be paralleled, and never to be justified ; but the 
strength of his constitution, and the unshaken firm- 
ness of his mind, even at the advanced age of seventy 
years, rose superior to all difficulties, and at length 
brought him to die in the arms of peace. Thus having 
spent a life marked with many private trials, and lit- 
erally exhausted his days chiefly in the service of his 
country, he expired, or rather ceased to breathe with- 
out a pain, a murmur or a groan." His remains were 
interred in the family vault at Brampton. 

In December, 1864, war's rude alarms once more 
swept over Georgia. Just in proportion to the greater 
numbers engaged in the conflict was the destruction 
wrought. From peaceful homes on Georgia planta- 
tions, Sherman, with an army of 65,000 men, drove tens 
of thousands of defenseless negroes for a breastwork 
before him, and reached Savannah, December 22nd. 
Before the capitulation of the city, as in the daysof the 
revolution, all that was evil in man seemed to triumph. 
It is beyond the power of words to express the fiendish 
outrages perpetrated in the vicinity of the city. The 



97 

old church of the Salzburgers at Ebenezer, built in 
1767, was used as a stable and the records destroyed. 
Many new made graves were unearthed in search for 
hidden treasure, the bodies rolled out of coffins and 
often left uncovered. The vault at Brampton did not 
escape desecration. 

Truly Georgians who have learned well the lessons 
history has taught, count not her wealth or greatness 
in the things that perish. Her priceless heritage is the 
character of her sons who have shed lustre on the pages 
of history, or in the quiet avocations of life been to her 
a bulwark of strength. Though being dead they yet 
speak, to teach those for whom the drama of life is 
opening, that ''there are heroes without the laurel, and 
conquerors without the triumph." That the clarion 
still sounds that calls them into service for God and 
Hom.e and Native land. Problems of government,, 
social, domestic and commercial conditions have as- 
sumed new relations. These call for the same courage, 
wisdom and noble impulse that impelled her loyal sons 
of other days to action, in field or forum, whenever her 
peace was disturbed or her rights were threatened. 

ISABELLA REMSHART REDDING. 

Way cross, Ga., September, 190L 



KB. 3 V302 
1 COPY DEL. TOCAT.OIV. 
FEB. 3 1902 



FEB. 6 1902 



